Kings and Soldiers
by Marvelyn
Summary: (sequel to Monday, Monday - Can't Trust That Day) The Shield and their ally Carly Caden have been a thorn in the Authority's side for too long. When Triple H re-forms Evolution, the Shield will stop at nothing to ensure that justice prevails. But the price of victory may be too high, and the pursuit of it may threaten to tear the Shield apart for good.
1. There are No Season Premiers in the WWE

_**(Note: I wrote "Monday, Monday..." as a stand-alone, so it sorta ended up existing outside of any established canonical timeline. So when it was suggested that I make a sequel dealing with the Evolution feud, it got a little interesting trying to realign everything with reality. For the sake of making things make sense as much as possible, here's the way things stand in this reality: The Shield face-turned shortly following the "Shield Summit" and promptly starting feuding with the Authority. The events of "Monday, Monday..." occurred shortly after that. The Shield/Authority feud continued through to where we join the story already in progress, a week following WrestleMania 30. As always, feedback and critiques are welcomed. Thanks for reading!)**_

**There are No Season Premiers in the WWE**

Triple H left the dazed Roman Reigns flat on his back in the ring and jumped to the floor. The crowd reacted with great consternation as he began to rummage around beneath the ring. A strange look crossed Triple H's face. He started dragging folded up chairs and tables out of the way, unable to locate a certain something. Suddenly, the crowd exploded into wild cheers.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Helmsley," said a voice, "Are you looking for this?"

Carly stood at the top of the ramp. One hand held the microphone, the other balanced Triple H's sledgehammer across her shoulder.

Triple H bellowed in rage and started towards her.

"I don't think so, Mr. Helmsley," Carly said with a confident smile, "I'm here to see that Roman Reigns gets a fair fight. And if not, I'll be only too happy to put this little toy of yours to good use."

Livid, but unable to do anything to stop Carly, Triple H turned back to the ring, where Roman Reigns waited for him.

As soon as the bell rang and Roman raised his arms in victory, Carly slipped backstage. Seth and Dean would be running out there shortly, and she didn't want to intrude on the Shield having their moment. She passed the sledgehammer off to the first stagehand she saw.

"Would you please see that this gets returned to its rightful owner?" she asked, "It looks like I won't get to redecorate the place tonight."

Laughing a bit at the employee's bewilderment, Carly headed towards the locker room. She would've liked to keep the sledgehammer, but that wouldn't have felt entirely honest. She'd only taken it as insurance. Besides, Triple H could get a new one at any given hardware store, so what would be the point?

Suddenly, someone grabbed a handful of Carly's hair from behind and hurled her against the wall. Someone's knee caught her in the stomach before she had a chance to react. Acting on instinct, Carly threw herself forward, catching her attacker off guard. It was Alicia Fox. Carly slammed her against the opposite wall of the hallway, managing to get in a few good punches before being shoved away. Alicia's fist caught Carly squarely on the mouth. Carly stumbled back, lost her footing, and fell to the ground. She tasted blood.

Before Alicia could renew her assault, Carly heard shouts and the sound of running feet. Someone collided with Alicia Fox, ordering her off while Alicia sassed in reply. Someone else put a hand on Carly's shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked a woman's voice.

Carly looked up to see two dark-haired women standing over her. The one who had spoken was Brie Bella, so Paige must have been the one to fend Alicia off. They both helped Carly to her feet.

"Yes, I'm fine," said Carly, massaging her jaw. Alicia Fox could throw a mean punch, and this wasn't the first time Carly had been on the receiving end of one.

"What was that all about?" Paige asked.

"I'm not sure," said Carly, "But I'm pretty sure it wasn't Alicia's idea."

"I don't think Alicia Fox is capable of having ideas. She's absolutely crackers," said Paige, laughing.

"Either way, thank you, both of you," Carly said earnestly.

"Anytime," Brie smiled, "The sane ones have to stick together. We're outnumbered around here."

Carly took her time finding the Shield. They'd be celebrating Roman's victory, and she was pretty sure that if she showed up bleeding from the mouth, it'd bring down the mood just a bit. That worry was well-founded. With a pang of regret for not giving them more time, Carly watched the triumphant grins fade from the Shield's faces.

"Congratulations, Roman," said Carly.

She tried to smile, but it quickly turned to a wince as the movement stung her cut lip. The Shield was around her in an instant. Roman lifted her chin to assess the damage, and Carly let him fuss for the moment. Roman Reigns' gentle, brotherly concern was one of his most endearing (and unexpected) qualities. It was like being mothered by a lion.

"You got jumped _again_?" said Seth, brows furrowed incredulously.

"Who'd Stephanie send to rough you up this time?" asked Dean.

"Alicia Fox again. She's got a mean right cross. I'm ok, Roman," said Carly, pulling away, "Brie and Paige chased her off."

"Carly, that's the third time this week," Roman folded his arms disapprovingly, "Don't you think it's about time we did something about this?"

"I'm inclined to agree with you," Carly sighed, rubbing her jaw, "This is starting to get old. Well, I think I'll have to handle it like a McMahon."

"Like a what now?" Dean frowned and felt Carly's forehead, "Are you feeling alright? We know you've been under a lot of stress lately and all. Maybe you oughta lay down for a while, relax a bit."

Carly pushed his hand away impatiently.

"I'm fine, and I'm not going crazy, Dean," she said, "I'll let you keep the monopoly on that. I'm just saying that if there's one thing no – would you please stop that?"

Carly swatted Dean away in annoyance. He had grabbed hold of her wrist and seemed to be trying to take her pulse. Under normal circumstances, Carly enjoyed (or at least tolerated) Dean's antics. But she was trying to make a point here, and all they were doing was fussing.

"He's right, though," said Roman, "We're all getting a little concerned. You can't go on like this, Carly."

"Every time you leave our sight, you come back in worse shape," said Seth before Carly could interrupt, "I mean, you've got bruises on top of bruises at this point. Don't take this as an insult, but I don't know how much longer you can hold out if you keep taking this kind of punishment."

"Either we have to have eyes on you at all times," Roman said, "Or we need to think of way to end this, and soon."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," said Carly, "I have an idea. If there's one thing no McMahon can resist, it's an ultimatum. I issue one to Stephanie, and then we hit each other a lot until we settle our disagreements."

"You're gonna fight Stephanie?" Dean asked skeptically, "You really think that's a good idea? I mean, you haven't actually won a match since… well, you haven't ever actually won a match, come to think of it."

"And you aren't anywhere near being at one-hundred percent right now," Roman added.

"And how many years has it been since she was even _in_ a match?" said Carly, "I've learned a lot from you three. I may not be very good, but I know I can handle her."

"That's all well and good," said Seth, "As long as Stephanie fights fair, and the odds against that happening are astronomical."

"True," Carly admitted, "Which is why I'm going to need the help of the most dominant faction in the company, not to mention the best strategist around."

She smiled hopefully at Seth. Though he wrinkled his nose, Carly knew the flattery and the challenge had won him over.

"You're gonna go out there and make some noble promise that we'll be honor-bound to uphold, and make life difficult for me, aren't you?" Seth groaned.

"It's sort of what I do, yeah," Carly shrugged sheepishly.

"That's our princess," said Roman, shaking his head.

"She's so innocent and devious at the same time," Dean grinned, "It's adorable. And a little frightening."

"Alright, Carly," interrupted Seth, "Here's what you need to do."

xXx

This was the sort of development that warranted opening the broadcast with: Carly Caden was going to issue a challenge to Stephanie McMahon. Nobody knew what to expect. The only ones in on the plan were Carly and the Shield.

Over the past month, the Shield had been enjoying a string of successes in stomping on the Wyatt family. They also thwarted efforts by Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton (not to mention their lackeys, Kane and the New Age Outlaws) to screw Daniel Bryan out of a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship title, and continued to defend him against their efforts to take it from him following his victory at Wrestlemania. To assist them, Carly had been acting as a sort of neutralizer against the Authority. Knowing them like she did, Carly was able to spot a double-cross from a mile away and did everything possible to sabotage the saboteurs, up to and including hitting the problem with a kendo stick until it stopped being a problem.

This strategy had stopped working when Stephanie got wise to it and started going after Carly instead. Carly had been able to handle it until recently, when the attacks came more frequently and with greater numbers. It was time to get Stephanie off her back so she could continue helping out the Shield.

Carly couldn't help but smile when she heard that music start up: "The Mountain" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Particularly, the section of the song that contained the recognizable melody of "In the Hall of the Mountain King." Carly couldn't begin to describe how empowering it felt to have her own entrance music. She'd only used the Shield's music for that one time, when she thought she was fighting to save Seth's job. After that, Carly knew she'd have to find her own. She was the Shield's manager (a title that was mostly a formality, "ally" would be more accurate), and their friend, but she wasn't part of the Shield. It would be presumptuous, almost disrespectful to their brotherhood to use their theme as her own.

The orchestral-rock reworking of Grieg's music that heralded Carly's arrival elicited cheering from the crowd. Her anti-Authority stance had earned their approval. Carly walked down to the ring, smiling and high-fiving with the people who lined the ramp. Some days it was good to be the rebel princess. Other days, not so much, she thought as the smile pulled at the still-healing cut on her mouth. Once the music had stopped, Carly raised the microphone.

"How are you all doing tonight?" Carly asked, then waited for the cheering to die down, "Rumors are going around that I'm going to make a challenge to Stephanie McMahon. Well, I'm happy to tell you that's absolutely true. Stephanie, I know you're here. Why don't you come out so we can talk?"

Instead of Stephanie's entrance music beginning, her face appeared on the Titantron. She smiled condescendingly, apparently speaking from her office.

"Oh, I'm sorry Carly," she said, "As one of the principle owners of this company, I'm very busy. I only come down to the ring for important things."

Carly raised her eyebrows, scoffing at the slighting remarks. The crowd expressed their disapproval on her behalf.

"Alright, let's get right to the point, then," said Carly.

"You look terrible, by the way," Stephanie interrupted, feigning concern.

Carly paused, running her thumb across the cut on her lip, very aware of the fading bruise around her left eye.

"Going for the cheap shots tonight, are we?" said Carly, "Yes, Alicia Fox throws one heck of a right-cross. But then again, you already know that. You _are_ the one who sent her to attack me, after all."

"Now, why would I do a thing like that?" Stephanie feigned innocence.

"Because you're a vindictive, terrible person," Carly answered without hesitation.

The crowd cheered and Stephanie kept smiling, seeming to feed on the reaction like the strange sort of hate-vampire she was.

"But for all our differences, Stephanie," Carly continued, "There is something we have in common. A title we're both called: princess. And the way I see it, there's only room for one princess around here. So I challenge you, Stephanie McMahon, to what you might call a 'Right to Rule' match. The first one to admit defeat, to say she yields, will lose that right. And, in the spirit of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, it'll also be a strap match."

A rumble of interest in the strange hybrid match filled the arena.

"And the exact terms are?" asked Stephanie.

"If you lose," said Carly, "You are no longer allowed to directly or indirectly do anything to harm, affect, or otherwise interfere with me and mine. If I lose, I put myself at your disposal for the next month. Anything you ask, any order you give, I'll do it."

Stephanie's eyes lit up at that. Carly knew they would. Carly couldn't and wouldn't, of course, put her career on the line, but she was certain that Stephanie would jump at the chance to abuse and humiliate her without repercussion for any length of time.

"Tempting," Stephanie mused, "But not quite good enough. If you lose, I get you for three months."

"Alright, three months it is," said Carly, smiling, "I don't plan on losing."

Let Stephanie think she was over-confident. Let her think that victory was close enough to taste.

"And how do I know you won't sic your dogs on me?" said Stephanie.

And finally, let Stephanie think she'd backed her into a corner. Carly had been waiting for this, and she knew that somewhere backstage, Seth was waiting for it, too. He was hoping she'd avoid giving a straight answer, leaving him room to interfere. But Carly knew that evasiveness wouldn't be enough to convince Stephanie.

"I give you my word," said Carly, "The Shield will not touch you."

Stephanie stared hard at Carly for a moment. Even with Carly's reputation for deviousness and counter-sabotage, she had always been a woman of her word. Stephanie had no reason to doubt that she would keep her promise.

"Alright," said Stephanie, "I accept."

Stephanie's face vanished from the screen as her music began to play. It was not lost on Carly that Stephanie had not made an equivalent promise to not allow interference. But there had been no official decrees banning anyone from ringside. This was going to get interesting.


	2. The Right to Rule

**The Right to Rule**

Carly was announced first. She'd been in a few matches since that first 3-on-1 handicap match, and Dean wasn't wrong in saying that she'd never won. But those were against Divas at the top of their games. Stephanie had no such advantages, assuming she fought fair. There was no chance of that, of course. But Carly could dream, right? As Carly stepped out onto the stage, adrenaline shot through her body. She never failed to appreciate the crowd's positive reception of her.

Carly still pulled her hair securely back for matches. The result was that she didn't look nearly as stunning and put-together as the Divas she faced, but Carly was more than willing to sacrifice that for practicality. She still kept the simple gear she'd worn at the first match, with the notable addition of a t-shirt. Her anti-Authority stance was popular, and therefore it was also marketable. Mr. McMahon had insisted that she be given her own merchandise. She'd been able to help design it, too.

The logo on her shirt also blazed on the TitanTron behind her. It borrowed imagery both from the Shield and from the Authority, which Carly thought was a nice touch. It was a large silver shield on a black background, like a coat of arms. In the top left quadrant was a silver crown, and in the bottom right was a silver wolf's head. The remaining two quadrants were diagonally slashed with blue. Beneath the shield were sprays of red and white roses, and a scroll bearing the motto _Believe, Defy, Rebel_.

xXx

"_And that is the three-point creed Carly Caden has been living by: believe in justice, defy authority, and rebel against tyranny." _

"_Don't sugarcoat it like that, Michael. Carly Caden has been causing chaos in this company ever since she got here."_

"_Some might say that what Carly and her allies, the Shield, stand for is truth and honor in a company that is run by greed and betrayal."_

"_You think the Authority is greedy, and treacherous? Come on, now."_

"_I didn't say I thought that. All I said is that's some people's opinion."_

xXx

Stephanie's theme began to blare over the speakers. When she walked out to the top of the ramp, she was dressed in the same practical, un-flashy style that Carly was. Carly elected to ignore her entrance, instead turning away to let the referee (John Cone again) attach one end of the strap to her wrist. Seth's logic behind making it a strap match was mostly to keep Stephanie from running off and postponing this final showdown.

For the first time, Carly started to feel nervous about this match. Much as she'd hate to admit it to the Shield, or to anyone, the constant attacks _had_ been taking their toll on her. She wasn't at one-hundred percent. But she was confident she could stand up to Stephanie in a fight. More than that, she was confident that she'd be able to double-cross the double-crosser as soon as Stephanie let her true colors show.

Stephanie entered the ring, and the referee fixed the other end of the strap to her wrist. There would be no count-outs and no disqualifications. This was the perfect opportunity for fighting dirty, and Carly expected Stephanie to take full advantage of it. Carly looked over at Stephanie. They locked eyes for a moment. Stephanie smiled, and that only made Carly more nervous. But she smiled back, with a slight, mocking bow. This was it - the big finish. Time to do or die. The bell rang.

xXx

"_Both of these women taking a moment to size each other up as what Carly called a 'right to rule' match gets underway."_

"_There's a lot at stake here. If Carly wins, she and the Shield'll be able to run rampant through this company with immunity from any consequences."_

"_And if Stephanie wins, Carly becomes a slave to the Authority for the next three months. You can only imagine how much Stephanie would love to get a little revenge on Carly and the Shield. And Stephanie making a move now, grabbing Carly's arm and whipping her right into a clothesline!"_

xXx

Carly acted quickly while Stephanie was still close, shifting to her knees and sweeping Stephanie's legs out from under her. Stephanie hadn't been expecting that takedown, but she was quick to recover. Before Carly could capitalize and land any hits, Stephanie kicked out, catching Carly square in the chest and sending her slamming back into the turnbuckle. Pain shot through Carly's back. This fight wasn't going nearly as well as she'd hoped so far. She cursed her own inexperience and hesitation as she saw Stephanie leap to her feet.

xXx

"_It looks like Stephanie's taking control of this match, charging shoulder-first into Carly's midsection, ramming her into the corner."_

"_Well, Stephanie McMahon held the WWF Women's Championship title, and Carly's never even won a match. It's pretty easy to guess how this match'll end."_

"_Stephanie unloading kicks onto Carly, not even giving her a chance to breathe before going for a monkey flip!"_

xXx

Stunned, Carly wasn't able to react before Stephanie was on top of her, punching her in the head. Carly threw up her arms to fend off the blows. No, it wasn't going to go down like this. Carly had too much riding on this match to let Stephanie get the better of her now. She had to focus. She had to remember what the Shield had been teaching her.

Carly's hands shot out, grabbing hold of the front of Stephanie's shirt and pulling her in close so she didn't have any space to throw any more punches. Carly shifted her weight, rolling over so she was on top of Stephanie. She grabbed Stephanie by the hair and slammed the back of her head down into the mat repeatedly. Alright. This was good. This was progress. Carly almost wished she had the presence of mind and enough breath to start trash-talking.

Stephanie managed to bring her knee up to her chest and caught Carly with another kick, sending her staggering backwards. This wasn't so good. Still time to get the momentum back, though. Stephanie got to her feet. Carly charged at her, but Stephanie sidestepped, wrapping her arms around Carly's head and –

xXx

"_DDT! Stephanie McMahon planting Carly Caden."_

"_Wait a minute, who's that? Uh-oh, looks like more trouble is on its way."_

xXx

Carly dazedly struggled to get up. The crowd was suddenly making a racket and she couldn't figure out what for. Stephanie was standing over her with a triumphant smile, but she wasn't looking at Carly. She was looking towards the ramp. Carly turned to see Randy Orton making his way to the ring. So that was the plan. Stephanie was going to get Randy to do her dirty work and end this fight before it even really began. It wasn't going to be so easy for her, though. Carly wasn't about to just sit and wait for the ax to fall.

Carly tugged on the strap that bound their wrists together, pulling Stephanie off balance. She grabbed a handful of Stephanie's hair and yanking it down and forward. Before Stephanie could react, Carly brought her arm down hard onto her back. Stephanie was knocked face-first onto the mat. Carly gathered a length of the strap in her hands.

xXx

"_Carly laying into Stephanie's unprotected back with that leather strap, apparently determined to do as much damage as possible before the cavalry arrives. But Randy Orton is getting into the ring now and – whoa! Carly whips Orton across the face with the strap!"_

xXx

Randy Orton caught Carly's arm before she could strike again. He twisted it into a hammerlock, grabbing her by the hair and pulling down, forcing her to her knees. Carly was slowly starting to realize just how much she hated Randy Orton. Stephanie motioned for the referee to hand her the microphone. He complied, with a worried glance in Carly's direction. There was nothing he could do to stop this. There were no disqualifications, after all. Stephanie leaned over Carly, who thought she had never seen a more arrogant gloating expression.

"Well, Carly?" said Stephanie, "Do you have something to say?"

"You can't be serious," Carly laughed through gritted teeth.

Stephanie slapped her across the face. Typical McMahon move. At least her slap didn't hurt as much as her backhand. Randy forced Carly to look back up at Stephanie.

"I'll ask you again," said Stephanie. Her confidence and composure seemed undaunted by Carly's defiance, "I have all the time in the world. Do you yield?"

"You can twist my arm all you like, Randy," Carly managed, fiercely, "It won't make any difference. I'll never-"

Carly cried out in pain as Randy Orton wrenched her arm harshly. Carly breathed in gasps, trying not to lose bravado, trying not to cringe or whimper. She only had to hold out a little while longer. But, god, she hoped they'd get there soon. The audience was mightily displeased on Carly's behalf, and Stephanie's smile only widened.

"You'd better get used to wearing that leash, Carly," she said, "Or it's going to be a long three months for you."

"Do me a favor and spare me the monologuing," said Carly.

She bit her tongue to keep from crying out again as Randy twisted her arm further. This was bad. Strong as her resolve was, and much as the thought of being at Stephanie's mercy for a whole three months horrified her, Carly didn't know how much more she could take.

Suddenly, wild screams and cheers erupted from the audience. Carly turned her eyes to see the most beautiful sight: the Shield running towards the ring. Stephanie threw down the microphone.

"You lied!" she shouted at Carly.

"I said the Shield wouldn't touch _you_," said Carly, "I made no such promises to anyone else."

One Superman punch later, Carly's arm was released. She didn't even turn to look as the Shield tore into Randy. She knew they could handle him, no problem. All she had to worry about was finishing the match. On seeing her plan backfire, Stephanie edged away, fumbling desperately to undo the strap from her wrist.

"Oh no you don't," Carly growled.

Carly threw the strap around one of the posts for leverage, pulling on it with all her strength. This tightened the buckles around Stephanie's wrist, preventing her from releasing herself, and also hauled Stephanie closer, inch by inch. As she watched Stephanie's growing panic as she struggled to get away, Carly was proud of herself. This particular strategy had been her own idea.

Carly lunged forward, locking her arms around the back of Stephanie's head, slamming her forehead into Stephanie's once, twice, three times. Stephanie dropped to her knees. Carly resisted the urge to start monologuing herself. This wasn't the moment to be melodramatic. She wasted no time and aimed a roundhouse kick at the side of Stephanie's head.

Stephanie lay motionless where she fell. Carly held out a hand, gesturing for the microphone. She pushed against Stephanie's shoulder with her foot, rolling her opponent onto her back. No reaction. Apparently, Stephanie was out cold.

This was it. She'd done it. Carly planted a foot carefully over Stephanie's heart. She raised the microphone to her lips. Carly was still panting a bit from the fight. She glanced around the arena at all the shocked, excited faces, and said, "She yields."

Carly tossed the microphone aside amid cheering and the sound of her music pouring through the speakers. A disbelieving grin persisted in pulling at her mouth. She'd actually done it. She'd won. Carly tried to undo the strap with fingers still trembling too much to be of any use.

"Allow me," the referee said kindly, "Congratulations, Miss Caden."

He quickly released her wrist and then held it up in victory. Carly couldn't stop laughing, for some reason. Maybe it was the relief that washed over her. For this moment, she'd won. Then the Shield was in the ring, swarming around her like enthusiastic puppies. Roman was ruffling her hair, beaming proudly at her. Dean and Seth were saying something. She didn't understand what, but it didn't matter.

They pulled her out of the ring, past the medics tending to Stephanie and the crumpled remains of Randy Orton, up to the top of the ramp. Suddenly, Dean and Seth took hold of Carly and hoisted her onto their shoulders. She raised an arm triumphantly once more. She was still laughing, but she felt a little like crying. Dean and Seth lowered her to the ground and, with their arms around her shoulders, led Carly backstage.

xXx

"I don't know why I'm so tired all of a sudden," said Carly.

After the show, they'd gone back to the hotel and ordered pizza to celebrate the victory. And considering how much pizza it took to fill up the Shield, Carly was glad it wasn't her turn to pay tonight. Now Carly was curled up on her side, her head resting on Roman's lap, while he held an ice-pack against her shoulder.

"Adrenaline," said Seth, finishing off the last piece of pizza, "Explains why you got a little laughing mad after the match. It's finally starting to wear off."

That would make sense. Backstage, Carly hadn't been able to do much more than laugh and smile gratefully in response to the enthusiastic (if somewhat furtive) congratulations of her friends and allies. They couldn't afford to be seen being too happy for her and the Shield, of course. That would be inviting the Authority's ire.

"She didn't crack, though. Not even under torture," Dean said proudly.

"Only because I knew you three were coming for me, if you'll pardon the sentimentality," said Carly.

"You did good, Carly," said Roman, running a hand over her hair.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, the princess is tougher than she looks," Dean grinned, "Smarter too, sometimes."

"Dean, remind me to smack you for that later," said Carly, taking the ice-pack from Roman and repositioning it on her elbow. Dean continued to grin unconcernedly.

"So, Carly," said Seth, "How does it feel to know you took down Stephanie McMahon?"

"I just wish I could've seen the look on her face when she woke up and realized what happened," Carly giggled. Then she sighed, frowning slightly, "But when I think about it, it's only a small victory. I mean, we won the battle, but the war goes on, you know? Sure, Stephanie can't touch us. But there's still Triple H to worry about."

"We can handle whatever he throws at us," Seth said confidently, "We're the Shield. We don't back down, and we can take down anyone who tries to stop us. This is the new symbol of excellence right here."

Seth held out his fist with an air of self-assured defiance. Roman reached out his powerful arm to hold his fist next to Seth's.

"Believe that," he said.

"And believe in the Shield," Dean added, completing the pose.

"You're preaching to the choir, guys," Carly smiled teasingly, "Sometimes I get the feeling you only do that because you know how cool it makes you look."


	3. The Calm Before

**The Calm Before**

"Banned from the arena?" Dean exclaimed, "The hell are they up to now?"

"I have no idea," said Carly, shaking her head worriedly, "If they want all of us out of the way, it can't be good."

"They're probably gonna make a move on Daniel Bryan," said Seth.

"We can't just leave him for dead like that," said Roman.

"My thoughts exactly," said Carly, "But it's no use. The Authority says you'll be fired if you set foot in the arena tonight. I already called Daniel to ask what he wanted us to do, and we both agreed that the Authority is getting too desperate to continue being greedy. This time, they're not just making idle threats. Daniel said he's grateful for our concern and all our help so far, but he can handle this one on his own."

"I don't like this at all," said Seth, "But if that's what he wants, alright."

"But that means we suddenly have the entire day off," said Dean, throwing himself back onto the hotel bed, "What are we gonna do?"

Carly and the Shield sat silently for a moment. They'd essentially been running nonstop through their entire partnership. Any days off were spent at their respective homes, or training. And now that they found themselves with free time on their hands, they had no idea what to do with it. Roman looked up with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"We could go on a field-trip," he suggested.

The word 'field-trip' had the same effect on Dean and Seth that the words 'walk' or 'treat' would have on puppies. They sat up, abruptly alert, and turned their eager faces to Roman.

"Could we go to the zoo?" Seth asked excitedly, "It's been forever. And Carly hasn't ever gone with us!"

"Well, that settles it," said Dean, getting to his feet, "Now we have to go. Come on, Carly. It'll be fun. I promise. And besides, you could use the fresh air. You still look all pale and stuff."

Dean tossed Carly's shoes and purse to her as the others scrambled to throw on their jackets. Personally, she was still worried about what might happen to Daniel Bryan tonight, but there was really nothing that could be done. And going to the zoo with Seth and Dean and Roman sounded like much more fun than sitting around and stewing. At least it would be a welcome change of pace from the insanity that had been her job lately. Some fresh air and sunlight would be nice for a change, too. Carly barely got her shoes tied before Dean grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door.

xXx

"See, Roman? That thing over there is a _sheep_, not a llama," Seth explained slowly.

"Oh yeah, wise-ass? How would you like it if I chucked you in there with 'em?" said Roman.

He lunged at Seth and tried to put him in a headlock, but Seth was too quick and dodged away, laughing. Dean snuck up behind Seth and grabbed his arms, trapping him.

"I got him for you, Roman," Dean called, as Seth struggled to free himself.

Carly watched in amusement as the boys tussled playfully. It was good to see them enjoying themselves doing something other than kicking the daylights out of people. Not that that was bad, by any means. She was just glad to see them in good spirits, and under less weighty circumstances.

"You three make it look like the animals are taking over the zoo. 'Ambrose and Rollins and Reigns, oh my,'" Carly said teasingly.

"Wait, does that mean Dean is a lion, and I'm a tiger, and Roman's a bear?" asked Seth, releasing the other two from the headlocks he'd somehow managed to get them both in.

"Not exactly," Carly mused, "I think you'd still be a tiger, Seth, because you're all stealthy, but Roman would be a lion and Dean would be a bear."

"Makes sense. I've got the best mane," Roman grinned, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay, but how am I a bear?" Dean wrinkled his nose.

"Well, you've got the whole twitchy-berserker thing going on, and berserkers were associated with bears in all the old sagas," Carly noticed the skeptical looks the boys were giving her and trailed off lamely, "Which is trivia that you'll never need to know, I guess."

Dean considered this for a moment. Then his expression shifted and he grinned, casting a sidelong glance at Carly. They all knew what that look meant.

"Here it comes," said Roman.

"This one is all on you, Carly," said Seth.

"Oh no," said Carly, "Please, Dean, don't start-"

"_Baby, let me be your lovin' teddy bear_," Dean began.

"Singing," she groaned.

"_Put a chain around my neck, and lead me anywhere. Oh, let me be your teddy bear_," Dean went on.

"Why can't I just keep my big mouth shut?" sighed Carly.

"_I don't wanna be a tiger_," Dean sang, throwing an arm around Seth's shoulders, "_Cause tigers play too rough_."

"What?" Seth exclaimed in mock indignation.

"_I don't wanna be a lion_," Dean put his other arm around Roman's shoulders, "_Cause lions ain't the kind you love enough_."

"I'm not loveable?" Roman raised an eyebrow, "Is that what you're implying?"

"Dean, you're making a scene," said Carly.

"Don't care," Dean grinned, "_I just wanna be your teddy bear _– what are you looking at, buddy? Yeah, you keep walking – _put a chain around my neck and lead me anywhere. Oh, let me be_-"

"_Oh, let him be_," Seth and Roman joined in.

_"Your teddy bear!_"

Carly covered her face with her hands. At this point, she was laughing almost too hard to stay standing.

"That's it," she said, "I quit. I refuse to be associated with this."

She turned and started walking in the opposite direction. In an instant, the boys caught up with her, and Dean caught her around the shoulders.

"Oh, come on, Carly," he wheedled, "You know you love us."

"Down, boy," she commanded, and he released his hold, laughing.

"Don't even try to deny it," Roman smiled at her.

"Yeah," said Seth, "Why else would you let yourself be seen in public with those two in the first place?"

"What do you mean, 'those two'?" said Roman.

"Wait. Guys, wait," said Dean, suddenly distracted by a nearby line of food stands, "They've got that ice cream. The kind that comes in the little dots."

"Race you there, Dean," Seth said hastily, "Last one there has to buy. Ready set go!"

Seth was off like a shot with Dean hot on his heels. Roman just shook his head, following at a more reasonable pace with Carly.

"You look like you're feeling better," he said, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Very much," Carly smiled up at him, "Thanks for bringing me along. This is fun."

"It is," Roman nodded, "We try to get away as much as we can and… well, act like small children, clearly."

They had caught up with Dean and Seth, who stood in front of the ice cream stand, arguing. Roman continued past them and got in line.

"Admit it, Seth. You lost," said Dean.

"I didn't lose! You cheated," Seth said adamantly, "You tripped me on purpose."

"You're just saying that to get out of buying the ice cream," said Dean.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not! Carly, you saw him, didn't you?" demanded Seth, "He tripped me on purpose, right?"

"I wasn't watching," said Carly, throwing up her hands, "And even if I had been, you're not dragging _me _into this."

"So stop fighting and eat your ice cream," said Roman.

He had reappeared carrying four bowls which he distributed amongst the group. It appeared that ice cream was in instant argument finisher. With the way Roman had immediately bought it himself and now watched his brothers with a long-suffering smile, Carly surmised that this wasn't the first time this had happened. They continued walking as they ate, looking at the animals. Carly noticed a small billy-goat perched high atop a pile of rocks in its enclosure.

"Hey, look!" she pointed it out, grinning, "That one's king of the hill. It's Daniel Bryan."

"I like this game," Dean laughed approvingly, "Let's go find a weasel so we can name it Brad Maddox."

Carly and the Shield wandered through the zoo, trying to find the animals they could most fittingly name after their coworkers. A pair of energetic otters were dubbed Jimmy and Jey. One unfortunate hyena ended up being named Bray, and the most condescending-looking owl they could find they called Damien. Dolph Ziggler's name was given to a peacock that seemed to particularly enjoy fanning out to be admired. Of course, they couldn't pass up the opportunity to call the laziest-looking walrus Paul Heyman. And Carly made a compelling case to name a pair of Nile crocodiles Hunter and Stephanie, starting to sing "Never Smile at a Crocodile" as supporting evidence before Dean called her a hypocrite for singing and she smacked him upside the head.

"What do you want to do next, Carly?" Roman asked.

"Well..." Carly hesitated, "Could we-? No, that's silly. Nevermind."

"Me and Seth just spent a good ten minutes arguing over whether Randy Orton is a better name for a chimpanzee or a dung beetle," said Dean, "We passed silly about two hours ago."

"Could we go ride the carousel?" Carly asked hopefully.

"Yes!" Seth immediately agreed, "I haven't done that since I was a kid."

"Me neither," said Roman.

"I don't think I ever went on one of those," Dean tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Well, come on, then!" said Carly, "There's a first time for everything."

She seized Dean's hand and eagerly pulled him towards the carousel, Seth and Roman following close behind. Once they were in line, Carly quickly let go in embarrassment. It just seemed surprising and a little sad to her that Dean had missed out on this as a kid, and it had been such a fun and ridiculous day so far that she had taken his hand impulsively. But _they_ had been acting like kids, so why shouldn't she? Dean hadn't seemed to mind, anyway.

Being that it was a Monday afternoon, the zoo wasn't too busy. Still, the sight of three tall and muscular young men getting on the merry-go-round was bound to turn heads, even from those who didn't recognize them as WWE superstars.

Carly looked around at the Shield as the carousel started to spin. Roman sat on a white warhorse, with elaborate armor plates covering its head, neck, and flanks, and medieval trappings on its saddle. Seth chose a slender black horse with a golden mane that seemed to be leaping rather than running. Dean had picked one that was grey or blue roan, with its neck arched and head drawn to the side, wild-eyed, that looked ready to rear up and strike out with its hooves. Carly herself had chosen a chestnut-colored horse with a black mane and tail that streamed out behind it as it appeared to charge headlong towards something. It seemed strangely appropriate.

The boys pretended it was a race as they whirled around. Of course, since they were going in a circle, nobody knew where the starting line or the finish line was, so nobody could tell who won. Unfortunately, the wind had picked up in the last few minutes, and quickly advancing clouds covered the sky. The first few drops of rain began to fall as they disembarked, and they decided it was probably time to go.

As it seemed that all zoos make people exit through a gift shop, Carly and the Shield browsed for a while before leaving. There was the typical assortment of overpriced souvenirs, keychains with names on them, and chintzy toys that really didn't have anything to do with a zoo but kids would want them anyway. Carly noticed a wall full of stuffed animals. She had a silly idea to top off this whole silly day. Glancing over the shelves, she picked out a lion, a tiger, and a bear.

"What are those for?" asked Dean.

"Presents for some friends of mine," Carly smiled, then added, "You don't have to keep them if you don't want."

"Of course we're gonna keep them," said Roman.

"But now we have to pick out something for you," said Seth.

"You go pay for those and wait over there while we decide on something," said Dean, shooing Carly away.

A few minutes later, Carly saw the Shield exit the gift shop, grinning broadly. Seth held something behind his back. Carly eyed them with good-natured suspicion.

"Since you got the animal versions of us, we found the animal version of you," Seth explained.

"Okay, now I'm worried," said Carly.

She half expected it to be a mouse or a dodo bird. But Seth brought his hands in front of him and held out a stuffed red fox.

"Get it? Because you're on a mission to out-fox the Authority," he said.

"He thought up that pun all by himself," Dean grinned.

Carly laughed and took the fox from Seth, handing him the tiger in exchange and giving the bear and the lion to Dean and Roman. They were just big kids, really, these three brothers who donned combat boots and worked together to become an unstoppable force of justice, destroying everything that stood in their way. Now here they stood, hugging stuffed animals and smiling like they hadn't a care in the world. Carly had grown to love these boys. She considered herself one of the luckiest people on earth to have their friendship, and she hoped to never see a day without those smiles.

The rain fell harder now, driven in sheets across the parking lot. It showed no sign of slacking off anytime soon. They decided to make a break for it, dashing to the car and calling for Roman to hurry up and unlock the doors. They piled in and slammed the doors quickly, drenched and laughing. This had been a good day. As Carly tried to wipe some of the rainwater from her face, she thought she heard Dean quietly humming "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear."

xXx

Seth switched off the TV. Numbed by shock, Carly covered her face with her hands.

"I should've been there," she said dully, "I should've gone in tonight. They can't fire me. There was nothing stopping me, but I could've stopped _that_. This is all my fault."

They'd been right. The Authority had wanted them out of the way in order to take care of Daniel Bryan. They put him in a handicap match against Randy Orton and Batista. And when those two had broken him down, out came Kane. One choke-slam and three pile-drivers later, Daniel Bryan was taken to the hospital with a career-threatening neck injury. They were already saying he'd be out indefinitely. What a chilling word that was: indefinitely.

"Stop it," Roman ordered, "Don't start blaming yourself. It isn't on you."

"Yes, it is," said Carly, "I could've done _something_."

"Like what? Run in there and get yourself torn to pieces by Kane? By Randy Orton?" said Seth, "Yeah, they can't fire you. But they can still hurt you, and they would've if you'd tried to interfere tonight. It isn't your responsibility to stop the Authority all by yourself."

"Rest assured, we're gonna make them pay for what they did tonight," Dean said grimly, "We're the Shield, remember. A shield from injustice. And there's no greater injustice in this company than the Authority. And we're gonna take them down together."


	4. The Dragon Wakes

**The Dragon Wakes**

The Authority wasted no time in stripping Daniel Bryan of his title. Carly listened backstage at the Smackdown broadcast as Stephanie made the announcement. Either Stephanie could not hide her glee at the task, or she made no attempt to. Disgusted, Carly turned to the Shield.

"I know something that may interest you," she said, "Apparently Randy and Batista are tag-teaming against the Usos tonight."

"Sounds like Triple H wants to keep them busy so they don't start asking questions about the fate of the title," Seth surmised.

"It'd be a real shame if anything was to interfere with that match," said Dean, a grin spreading across his face.

Roman said nothing, but massaged his hands and then clenched them into fists, eager intensity lighting his eyes.

"I'll leave you to it, then," said Carly, "And I'll keep an ear to the ground, see what other intel I can scare up. Have fun hanging the Authority's hangmen."

"Oh, we will," Roman stated.

Carly knew when to bow out and let the Shield focus. Their efficiency and effectiveness as a unit was a marvel, really. Their specialty lay in getting things done. Carly's, on the other hand, lay in making sure things didn't go according to plan. It was a powerful symbiosis. Moments like this, where the battle lay in the arena and not behind the scenes, where the time for Carly to step back and cheer them on from the sidelines.

It didn't take long for Orton and Batista to start cheating, of course. And that was all the prompting the Shield needed. In an instant they were on top of Randy Orton, driving him off from Jimmy Uso. Then they turned to Batista, who was still in the ring.

It was strangely fascinating to watch when the Hounds of Justice went to work. The alert, fervent concentration on their faces, the way they moved in almost perfect synchronization. It was like seeing a pack of wolves on the hunt. It was more than that. It was almost poetry. Carly wondered, with some amusement, how she had come to see the beauty in the way these three men attacked.

"Excuse me, Miss Caden?"

Carly turned to see a nervous-looking intern standing beside her.

"Can I help you?" Carly asked.

"I have a message," the girl said, "From, uh... from the Authority."

xXx

"That's all she said?"

"That's all, Seth," said Carly.

"Well, didn't you try to get more out of her?" Seth pushed.

"Of course I did," said Carly, "But the poor girl looked scared half to death, and I've been in her shoes. I don't think she knew any more than she told me, anyway."

"So we've got the main event match tonight," said Dean, "But they're not telling us who we're facing. Well, that doesn't sound suspicious or anything."

"I don't like this at all," Roman frowned, "You know this has gotta be some kind of trap."

"I know," Carly agreed, "I just wanted to pass the message on to you, before I go off and see what I can-"

"Excuse us, gentlemen."

Wade Barrett's voice startled them out of their conference. They turned to see Barrett and Cesaro blocking the hallway, smirking confidently. Carly could nearly feel the Shield's hackles go up at the sight of them.

"We're here to collect Miss Carly," Barrett continued.

"Collect?" said Seth, "What are you talking about? What for?"

"She's going to be on commentary for your match tonight," said Barrett, "Triple H's orders."

"Why would he order me to be on commentary?" Carly asked apprehensively.

"And why are you coming for her now?" Dean demanded, "There's at least an hour before the main event."

"Don't know, don't care," Barrett shrugged, unconcerned, "We're just following orders."

"I'll show you what you can do with your orders," said Dean.

He started towards them, but was held back by Seth and Roman. Barrett smirked and shook his head mockingly.

"You better save your strength," he said, "You're gonna need it."

Carly turned to the Shield, holding up her hands reassuringly.

"It's alright, Dean," she said, "I'll go with them. Don't worry about me. I don't know what's going on, but you three just be careful, okay? Take care of yourselves, and look out for each other. I know you know to do that already. It just makes me feel better to say it."

The boys nodded. Carly swallowed hard. She couldn't quite say why, but she had a very bad feeling about all of this. The Authority had been gunning for her and the Shield for some time now. This felt different, though. Something was up. Something big. And Carly didn't like not knowing what it was.

She turned to go with Barrett and Cesaro. Cesaro put his hand on her shoulder to guide her along. Carly resented his touch and tried to shrug him off, but he did not remove his hand. In an instant, Roman was in front of Cesaro, staring him down. Cesaro flinched slightly. Roman didn't say a word, just glared sternly with his wolf's eyes. Cesaro slowly took his hand off Carly's shoulder. Roman glanced down at Carly. She nodded slightly, and he stepped aside.

Barrett and Cesaro marched her through the backstage area, garnering strange looks from the people they passed. They were keeping too close for her to make a break for it, in Carly's estimation. She wasn't quick enough or strong enough to get away. They stopped in front of one of the dressing rooms, and Barrett opened the door.

"You're supposed to wait here until the match," he said.

"Why?" asked Carly, crossing her arms.

"To keep you out of trouble," said Barrett, "Now go on, like a good girl."

Carly glared at the both of them, and decided to vent her helpless anger in petty name-calling.

"Eurotrash thugs," she spat as she stalked into the room.

"Sticks and stones, love," Barrett laughed, shutting the door.

Carly felt in her pocket for her cell phone, only to realize that she had left it in her purse, with the rest of her things, in the green room. Fantastic. She knew better than to ask Tweedledee or Tweedledum out there to get it for her. Now there was no way for her to contact anyone to try to figure out what was going on. She had essentially been taken captive by the Authority. Carly folded her arms over her stomach, trying to quell the worried knots that were forming.

But that was part of their plan, too, wasn't it? They called Triple H "the Cerebral Assassin". Of course part of his strategy was psychological. He was keeping Carly and the Shield apart so he could keep them all in the dark and, probably in Carly's case in particular, keep her afraid. Well, it was certainly working.

Carly sat down and rested her head in her hands. She wasn't going to let him win like that. She had to calm down and focus. There was no way to figure out what was going on outside this room, and she needed to accept that. She needed to _try_ to accept that. She needed to… oh, what was the use.

She was worried about Seth and Dean and Roman. Not knowing where they were or what was in store for them was maddening. Carly felt sick. She glanced at the wall clock. Only an hour left to wait.

xXx

"Joining us on commentary tonight is manager and friend of the Shield, Carly Caden," Michael Cole was saying, "It's nice to have you with us, Carly."

"I wish I could say it's nice to be here," Carly said tersely, "But I'm not here by choice."

She felt a little bad for being sharp with Mr. Cole. He'd always been nice to her. But she was too worried to care right now. Barrett and Cesaro had marched her down to the announcers' table during a commercial break, but not before informing her in no uncertain terms that any attempts to get away would be dealt with harshly.

At first she sat ramrod straight in the chair, hands clenched onto the ends of the armrests, both feet of the floor as if tensed to run. She felt completely exposed and vulnerable out there, and it killed her a little inside to know that she was letting Triple H get to her like that. She couldn't give him that satisfaction. So as soon as the techs started to signal that they'd be coming back from commercial soon, she altered her posture. Carly relaxed into the chair as if it was a throne, crossing her legs and placing her elbows on the armrests. She would look calm and composed, but she wouldn't pretend to be happy about this.

"What do you mean by that?" JBL asked, "So Triple H ordered you to be on commentary for the main event. Why is that a bad thing?"

"It's been my experience that whenever Triple H orders you do be someplace," said Carly, "The safest place to be is anywhere but there."

"He's your boss-" JBL began.

"Be that as it may," Mr. Cole intervened, "The Shield's opponent or opponents in this match have been kept secret. Carly, do you have any guesses or insight as to who it might be?"

"I'm sorry to say that I don't," said Carly, "Because Triple H also gave an order for me to be locked in a dressing room all evening until his thugs escorted me out here."

"Why did he have you locked up?" Mr. Cole asked incredulously.

"So I wouldn't cause trouble," said Carly, smirking a little.

"A wise choice on his part if you ask me," said JBL.

"Nobody did, John," said Mr. Cole.

"Triple H is only doing what's best for business, Michael" said JBL, "And making sure the show runs smoothly is just that: best for business!"

"Oh, I don't know," said Carly, "I think this business could use a little trouble."

Before Carly got a chance to further bait JBL, the Shield's entrance music started up. Both commentators continued talking. Carly wasn't listening. Her eyes were fixed on the Shield. They descended the stairs with the same undaunted confidence as always, so apparently they hadn't run into any trouble. They were wearing those masks again. They only did that when they wanted to look especially intimidating. One by one they cleared the barricade. Roman paused a moment.

"You alright, Carly?" he asked.

"Yeah. You?" she said.

He nodded and went to join the others in the ring. After acknowledging the audience, they shed the masks, and Carly could see that they were every bit as on edge as she was. Not afraid, mind you. She'd heard their mantra enough to know that fear was a foreign concept to the Shield. But they were clearly uncomfortable with this situation. It was impossible to strategize when you had no idea what you'd be up against. There were a few seconds of silence after the Shield's music faded out, waiting for their opponents' theme to begin.

Carly watched, dumbfounded, as Alberto del Rio appeared on the stage. They couldn't be serious. Del Rio? Really? That didn't make any sense. Her confusion was only deepened when Jack Swagger appeared as well.

"Interesting," said Mr. Cole, "Swagger and del Rio. That's an odd couple."

Almost before he'd finished speaking, Fandango was there, too.

"It just got odder," JBL remarked.

"Carly, any thoughts on this?" asked Mr. Cole.

"Uh… I… I don't-" Carly stammered. What on earth was happening?

"This is the most unusual team that- What?"

JBL was interrupted by the entrance of 3MB. Three on six. The odds were against the Shield, but they still had a fighting chance. Then Titus O'Neil came out, followed by Ryback, and Curtis Axel. Carly felt her stomach drop.

"Nine," Mr. Cole intoned confusedly, "Is this the Authority's idea of a joke?"

"Don't cross the boss," said JBL.

Rusev.

"I love this choice," JBL laughed, "All I can say is: goodnight, Shield."

It took all of Carly's willpower not to punch him in his stupid mouth right then and there.

Bad News Barrett. Of course. Carly's hands shook.

"Eleven? What?" Mr. Cole exclaimed, "Are you telling me that all these men are against the Shield? Carly, do you- Are you feeling alright?"

Carly's face was flushed with suppressed rage. She wanted to scream, to flip this stupid table, to bash Triple H's stupid face in. This was his plan: destroy the Shield

"Cowards," she managed, her voice on the edge of breaking, "Those miserable cowards! How dare they?"

The Authority's goon squad rushed the ring, but were beaten back. Dean flipped Heath Slater into the ring, and would've made short work of him if not for the referee's interference.

"I'm sure they got their marching orders from Triple H," said Mr. Cole.

Of course they did. That despicable, arrogant…

"Justice comes in all forms," said JBL.

"This is _not _justice," Carly said flatly, "This is a firing squad sent by a sadistic megalomaniac."

The crowd chanted for the Shield as Slater got to his feet, grinning. Seth was up first. He eyed up the competition, shifting his weight from side to side. As soon as the bell rang, Seth maneuvered Slater into the Shield's corner. Good. Keep him there. Take him down quickly and go for the pin.

Carly paid little attention to the commentary. Mr. Cole was relating something Roman had said on twitter, something about kings and soldiers. Seth went for the cover on Slater. Barrett, curse him, interfered, throwing Seth into their corner before Dean could stop him.

"Lousy, cheating bullies," Carly seethed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the commentators glance at her, electing to ignore her interjection. JBL in particular looked a little afraid. Carly didn't care. She knew very well why Triple H had put her here, and it wasn't to give insightful commentary. He was going to make an example of the Shield, and he was going to force her to watch from the sidelines.

Seth was trapped now, outnumbered and being beaten mercilessly. Dean and Roman paced agitatedly on the apron. They were as unable to stop this as Carly was. Titus O'Neil tagged in, hitting Seth with a backbreaker before literally tossing him aside. Carly gasped, nearly sick with rage, as she heard Seth scream under an assault from Rusev.

"No," she said through gritted teeth, her voice shaking, "You scum. You rats. You rotten, disgusting snakes…"

Dean and Roman called desperate encouragement to Seth as the thugs took turns wearing him down.

"This is fun to watch," Carly heard JBL say.

"Really?" Mr. Cole asked faintly. He at least had the decency to look disturbed by what was going on.

"If you think it's so much fun to watch," said Carly, her voice lowered menacingly, "How about I show you how it feels?"

JBL blanched and was silent for a moment. Ryback taunted Dean, then tossed Seth out of the opposite side of the ring. Seth hit the ground hard. Carly flinched. Should she interfere now? She was unarmed, but she knew for a fact that there were kendo sticks stored somewhere under the ring. If only she could get there without being stopped.

Dean jumped into the ring. While the referee was distracted by him, Roman bolted around the ring to spear Ryback, who had gone out to retrieve Seth. That was all the motivation the goon squad needed. They jumped on top of Seth and Roman. Dean dove onto them from the ring. The bell rang as the match devolved into an all-out brawl.

This was Carly's chance. She ditched the headset and ran for the ring. She reached beneath it, her hand scrabbling desperately around. Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her back. It was Slater, that lousy punk. Carly scrambled to her feet, but before she had a chance to escape, Slater had seized her arm. In an instant, he had her in a wrist lock. Carly cried out as the pain sent her to her knees.

Seth somehow made it into the ring and flipped over the ropes to knock down all the attackers, buying the Shield a few seconds. Dean helped Seth back into the ring. They stood together, holding the high ground for only a brief moment before they were mobbed by their opponents.

Carly was trapped, unable to rise, forced to watch as the Shield fought desperately against the assault. She may have shouted, screamed inarticulate threats at the assailants, nearly in tears from anger and the pain in her shoulder. The Shield was outnumbered, overpowered, driven into the ground as the attackers mocked them. Carly felt every blow that landed on them, every pained cry like a bullet through her.

Without warning, unfamiliar music began to play. Carly raised her eyes to the screen, baffled by what she saw there. What was this supposed to mean? What was Evolution?

Her heart stopped. She watched in mute horror as Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista stepped onto the stage and walked, grim-faced, to the ring.

"No," Carly gasped, "Oh god, no."

At a gesture from Triple H, his thugs began to get out of the ring. Slater eased off on Carly's wrist to allow her to stand. She wrenched herself free, tried to scramble into the ring, but Slater caught her. Carly struggled frantically against him.

"Little help here?" Slater shouted.

In an instant, the goon squad had surrounded her. They were dragging her, pushing her towards the ramp. Triple H, Orton, and Batista were getting into the ring, faces blank and determined. Dean and Seth and Roman could not even stand. No. She had to get free. She had to help the Shield.

"Get off me!" Carly roared, "You filthy, stinking cowards, I'll kill you! Let me go!"

Seth pulled himself up on the ropes, but was quickly beaten down again. Something inside Carly snapped.

The Authority's thugs tried to keep ahold of her as Carly scratched and clawed at them. Cowards! Carly bit at the hands that held her back. She kicked out viciously. They yelped like the mangy dogs they were as some of her kicks hit home, as her teeth and nails scratched them. Carly struck out with her elbows, not caring if – no, _hoping _that – they would find their eyes and mouths and the bridges of their noses, causing as much damage as possible. With all of her strength, Carly struggled violently, vainly, as she was dragged backstage.

The thugs shied away from Carly's insane fury, leaving Barrett the only one standing between her and the stage. She leapt on him, kicking and clawing like mad. He wasn't going to stop her. None of these brutes would stop her. She had to help. She had to get to the Shield.

"Somebody get this hellcat off me!" Barratt yelled.

Two security guards seized Carly's arms and dragged her back. Barrett swore loudly, gingerly touching his scratched face and arms, as he and the other thugs staggered off to lick their wounds.

"Miss, you need to calm down," one of the guards ordered.

"Like hell I do!" Carly shouted, shaking them off.

But she stood still, breathing heavily. They were only doing their job. It wouldn't be right to fight them.

Carly stared up at the monitor. She watched, sickened, almost numb, as Roman was hit with a Batista bomb. Orton held Seth upright as Triple H punched him repeatedly. Orton stomped on Seth's chest, and Batista hauled him to his feet and threw in into an RKO. Dean leapt desperately into the fray and was quickly beaten down again. Now Seth was hit with a Batista bomb. Dean was Batista bombed into an RKO.

Carly did not know when she had started crying. Helpless fury compressed her breath into gasps. Orton flung Dean into the corner. Dean did not move. Seth had not moved since that painful landing on his neck.

Roman, at the end of his strength, unable to stand, dragged himself towards Triple H, who laughed, taunted him with words Carly could not hear. Orton and Batista grabbed Roman, hauling him to his knees, taking fistfuls of his hair and forcing his head back. Roman's chest heaved. He could not even open his eyes.

Triple H brought his face down next to Roman's.

There wasn't enough air back here.

"Believe in Evolution."

Carly was getting lightheaded. The security guards were only doing their job.

Pedigree.

She shouldn't fight them.

Evolution stood over Roman, holding out their fists in a mocking imitation of the Shield.

They were only doing their job.

xXx

Carly sat perched on the trunk of Seth's car. She shivered, though the evening was not cold. Her shoulder ached. Her arms hurt where hands had tried to hold her and pull her back.

Carly was afraid. She was worried about the Shield. She was scared of what was going to happen to them. And she was a little frightened of herself.

What had happened back there? It was like she'd completely snapped. She'd scratched and bit anyone within in reach like some kind of crazed, rabid animal. Where were her ideals of honor and fair fights then? Where were they now?

But, thinking about it, what else could she have done? There was no honor to be found in standing idly by while her friends were being hurt. While her friends were…

Carly hugged her knees to her chest, pressing a hand against her mouth. Everybody had already seen her give in to madness. Nobody was going to find her out here crying. More importantly, the Shield wasn't going to find her crying. The sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention.

Dean and Seth and Roman walked slowly, painfully towards the car. Carly slid down off the trunk and ran to them.

"Are you alright?" she asked breathlessly.

Stupid girl. Stupid question. Of course they weren't alright. But she hadn't been able to think of anything else to say.

"We will be tomorrow," said Roman, his voice low and tired.

They looked dazed, exhausted, angry. Little flames of rage flared up in Carly's stomach. Look at them, the poor boys. They'd been beaten half to death. She suddenly had the impulsive desire to hold them, tell them it was going to be alright. But she was afraid to touch them for fear of hurting them worse.

"What happened to you?" Seth asked hoarsely, "I saw you fighting like a demon when they dragged you out, and then we couldn't find you."

Carly looked away, grimacing.

"There's a distinct possibility that I got kicked out of the arena for 'assaulting security' or something like that," she said dully, "Remind me to send them a heartfelt apology note, huh?"

Dean's eyes widened a bit as he exhaled sharply, a faint, tired smile crossing his face.

"Kicked out for assaulting security?" he repeated, "After trying to fight off eleven guys by yourself? You are something else, princess. Good for you."

In spite of herself, Carly smiled shakily.

"Let me have your keys, Seth," she said, holding out her hand, "You boys are in no condition to drive."

"And you are?" Roman asked skeptically.

"You should see the other guys," Carly shrugged unconcernedly, "Hand them over, Seth. I'll drive."

xXx

"Alright, somebody needs to explain this to me," said Carly, "What exactly is Evolution?"

It had been a very subdued ride back to the hotel. Emotions had settled somewhat now that the Shield had had a chance to recover. The boys claimed the anger, leaving Carly to pick up the worry, and they agreed to share the exhaustion. Dean was sprawled out, facedown, across one of the beds. Roman sat on the other, slumped forward a bit, while Seth leaned against the wall. Carly sat in the desk chair, shifting her weight back and forth so the chair spun slowly side to side.

"They ran the yard about ten years ago," said Seth, rubbing his eyes, "Trips, Batista, Orton, and Ric Flair. Something about representing the past, present, and future of WWE. Everything went south when Orton became the World Heavyweight Champion, and Trips got jealous and turned on him. So Orton was out for revenge against them, and then Batista got sick of Trips and turned on him, and it all pretty much imploded."

"And after all that, they decide to team up again?" asked Carly.

"Desperate times, desperate measures? I don't know. The point is," said Seth as he pushed himself away from the wall, "They caught us by surprise tonight, and it worked. But this was the _only _time that's gonna work, because we're ready for them now, and we're better than they ever were." Roman's eyes followed Seth as he paced, gaining momentum, his voice growing stronger. "We are the Shield. We're the Hounds of Justice. We don't experience fear and we don't back down, and we are going to destroy Evolution. Do you know why? 'Cause they're just a bunch of egocentric has-beens with their suits and their movies and their fancy cars. We're more than that. We're _brothers_. They had their day. Today is ours."

"But we sleep first, yeah?" said Dean, his voice muffled by the sheets, apparently unaffected by Seth's rousing speech.

Roman chuckled, and Seth's fervor flagged slightly.

"Yeah, yeah. We sleep first," Seth sighed, sulking a little.


	5. Skirmishes

**Skirmishes**

Seth and Carly held a bit of a war council the next morning over breakfast. Being the early risers of the group, they'd gotten into the habit of having coffee together before Dean and Roman stumbled sleepily into the lobby to eat everything in sight. But today, even Seth looked exhausted, and the other two were later than usual, moving stiffly, albeit as ravenous as ever.

"So, what's the plan?" Dean asked around a mouthful of Fruit Loops.

"We don't let them get any momentum," said Seth, "They'll be riding high after last night, so we have to shut them down, and soon. Triple H likes to talk, so on Monday we'll go out and talk. Which, for us, basically means giving Dean a microphone and standing back."

Dean grinned, and Roman nodded approvingly.

"Sounds simple enough," said Roman.

"You don't sound convinced," said Seth, tilting his head.

Carly wasn't sure she was convinced either. But Seth was confident, and he knew what he was doing. They all knew what they were doing. The Shield didn't become the most dominant faction in the company without good strategy.

"That's just last night sticking with me. I trust you, Seth," Roman smiled reassuringly.

xXx

Carly watched backstage as the Shield got its first chance to confront Evolution. Dean Ambrose turned on that strange, manic charisma of his in full force. She couldn't help but burst out laughing when he referred to Randy Orton as a "creampuff." Give Dean a microphone and stand back, huh? It was quite an effective tactic, to say the least.

Seth was on hand to reel Dean in when he started coming a little unglued, adding his own slighting remarks about Evolution needing the help of eleven other men to beat them. They were quick to prove him right. As soon as Roman finished speaking and the Shield advanced on Evolution, who should walk out but their goon squad.

Just like the Shield knew they would. Seth smiled knowingly, and Carly wore the same expression. Let them enjoy their posturing and their show of power. That was their strategy. The Shield was only just getting started.

xXx

"Hiding behind their little toy soldiers," Dean grumbled, "Too afraid to face us in a fight, huh? Too afraid we'll kick the laurels they've been resting on."

"Eyes on the road, Dean," Roman said warningly, with the nervous look of a man who was having second thoughts about his decision to let his friend drive his car, "Anyway, is it such a bad thing we didn't get a fight tonight? We aren't at one hundred percent."

"Besides," said Seth, "Going out there tonight wasn't about starting a fight. It was about sizing up the enemy, and Evolution gave us all the information we need."

Seth leaned back in his seat with a self-satisfied smile, looking completely relaxed for the first time since their run-in with Evolution. Carly was significantly less worried about the situation as well. In the time she'd spent around Seth, she was starting to learn how the strategist thought. She had nothing near his expertise, but the moments where she could guess what he was thinking were exciting.

"Well, would you care to enlighten the rest of us?" said Dean, a bit sardonically.

"You two are sitting back there grinning like the cats that ate the canary," said Roman.

"Well," Seth began, leaning forward a bit as he did when strategizing, "Last week Evolution sent eleven guys to beat us up before they would come near us. And tonight they backed off as soon as we showed up, and called out the reinforcements the second we came at them. What does that tell us?"

"They don't want to face you as a group," said Carly, "Like you said before, Seth, they're stronger as individuals than they are as a team. So, it looks like what they want to do is wait and pick you off one by one, right?"

"Exactly," Seth nodded, "And we're not going to let that happen. We're going to face them together, as the Shield, the most dominant faction in the history of the WWE, and we gotta do it soon."

"They're never gonna go for that," said Carly.

"Oh, I know," said Seth, that smile returning to his face, "Which is why we're gonna force their hand. Carly, you feeling up for a little boss baiting?"

"It would be my pleasure," Carly said.

"Hey, looks like the Architect's got himself an apprentice," Dean grinned in the rear-view mirror.

"Keep talking, Seth," said Roman, "I like where this is headed."

xXx

Carly sidled up to the wings just as Evolution rounded the curtain. They never saw her. Excellent. She almost had the theme from "Mission Impossible" playing in her head before she warned herself not to get cocky. Carly tapped one of the techs on the shoulder.

"On my signal, Bri?" she asked.

"Sure thing," Bri said agreeably, shrugging and passing Carly a microphone.

Carly had discovered something the Authority had yet to learn: people are generally more cooperative when they aren't genuinely scared that you'll fire them. Also, they appreciate it if you at least _try _to learn their names.

Triple H's voice echoed through the arena.

"Last week," he said, "You saw the Shield laid bare, exposed for what they really are: all bark and no bite."

"That's about enough of that," said Carly.

She waved to Bri, who nodded in reply and signaled for Carly to go ahead. Carly's entrance music cut off Triple H before he could say anything more. Carly sauntered slowly around the curtain and onto the stage, enjoying the exasperated glowers of the three men standing in the ring. She raised the microphone to her lips, pausing a moment while she waited for the music to fade out.

"I'm sorry," she said, not even bothering to feign contrition, "Am I interrupting something? Wait, don't tell me! Let me guess. You're… giving a lecture: Supervillain Monologuing 101 with Professor Helmsley."

"Carly, you are perilously close to being escorted from the arena. Again," said Triple H.

"Oh, but I came out here to congratulate you three," said Carly. Bitter sarcasm began to seep into her smug tone as she went on, "The return of Evolution. And what a triumph it was! You came out here and kicked the daylights out of three men who could barely stand because they'd already been ganged up on by eleven guys. You must be so proud of yourselves. It takes real men to accomplish something like that. But look at you, in those suits. You aren't men. You're mannequins. It's like I'm looking at a gradient scale of business-wear. Although… really, Mr. Orton. Put on a tie, you slob. Are you even trying?"

Even at that distance, Carly could feel the venom in Randy Orton's smile. Good. She'd hit him where it hurt. Vanity was always a weak point for Orton.

"If you have a point," Triple H growled, "I suggest you get to it, before I have you and the "Hounds of Justice" tossed out on your tails."

"I'm not here on behalf of the Shield, Mr. Helmsley," said Carly, "I'm here on behalf of the WWE Universe, and we'll see in a moment if they agree with me. Now, the way I see it, these people have been somewhat cheated. Answer me this, are you all satisfied with what you saw last week on Smackdown?"

The audience replied with an emphatic "No!"

"Would you rather see Evolution take on the Shield in a six-man tag-team match tonight?" she asked.

A resounding "Yes!" quickly accelerated into a Daniel Bryan style yes-chant. Carly laughed and turned her attention back to Evolution.

"These people have good taste," she said, "They really know what's best for business. So what say you, boys? Are you willing to accept the challenge? Or are you gonna hide behind your goon squad again?"

Triple H turned and asked something to Batista and Orton. Carly waited, though she was confident she already knew the answer. Triple H leaned on the ropes, his chin lifted with nonchalant arrogance as he replied.

"Alright, then. Go tell the Shield they've got their match. Everyone but us will be banned from ringside," Triple H paused a moment while the audience cheered, "But know this, Carly. One of these days, your luck is going to run out."

"Quite possibly," Carly nodded glibly, "But not today."

Right on cue, her theme began to play. Carly tossed her hair as she walked backstage for good measure (or rather, to ensure that she'd annoyed Triple H as much as possible) and returned to the Shield.

"Well, how'd I do?" she asked.

"Not bad at all," Roman grinned.

"Nice job, Carly," said Seth, clapping her on the shoulder, "You got Triple H right where we want him."

"Well, I know the mere sight of me annoys him so much that he'd be willing to agree to almost anything just to make me go away," Carly shrugged modestly, "I'm not quite a smart-mouth at Dean's level, but I couldn't resist embellishing just a little."

"I choose to take that remark as a compliment," said Dean, his mouth twisting into a half-smile, "Alright Seth, Mr. Architect, give us our strategy."

xXx

It was agreed that Carly would be ringside for the match, taking advantage of the ambiguity of Triple H's decree that "everyone but us" was banned. She wasn't on hand to interfere with the match, of course. The Shield planned on winning clean, as a way of publicly establishing themselves as a legitimate threat to Evolution. But they didn't want Triple H to have enough presence of mind to start pulling tricks on them, and one of the best ways to make someone careless was to make them angry. Carly's existence angered Triple H, so there she was.

Even though she didn't intend to get involved, she carried a kendo stick, just in case.

The Shield entered first. Over their enthusiastic reception, Carly thought she heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Michael Cole beckoning to her from the announcers' table.

"As long as you're down here, Carly, you're welcome to join us on commentary," he said, "We have an extra headset."

JBL looked as though her presence was anything but welcome. She had never gotten along with him in the first place, and her rather uncharacteristic behavior last week probably had him a little leery. Ah, well. Let him be uncomfortable. She'd rather sit down to watch the match anyway. Carly thanked Mr. Cole kindly and accepted the headset.

"Now, Carly," said Mr. Cole, "From the looks of things, it appears that the Shield has more or less shaken off the events of last week. Do you think they're ready to face Evolution, one of the most dominant factions this company has ever seen, here on Smackdown tonight?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Cole," said Carly, "Evolution may have been a force to be reckoned with in their day, it's true. But they haven't worked together in, what, ten years? Whereas the Shield is out here fighting as a cohesive unit every week, like they have been for the past two years. If anything, Evolution should be concerned about this match, not the Shield."

Carly watched the Shield enter the ring, aware that she had been rambling a bit. She was apparently more nervous about this than she'd thought. She couldn't quite shake the all-too-vivid mental picture of the events of last week. The sound of Evolution's entrance music still made her stomach drop as it started.

"And what about you?" Mr. Cole asked, "You got into something of a scuffle yourself."

"Ah, yes. That I did," said Carly, laughing uncomfortably. Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Cole. She couldn't blame him, though. He was a reporter. "I may have gotten a little carried away."

"Like a woman possessed, it's been said," JBL commented.

JBL, on the other hand, was a garden-variety loudmouth.

"Well, they also say I'm the daughter of the devil himself. Make of that what you will," said Carly, "In my defense, can you blame me for being upset by what happened? Completely dishonorable tactics, altogether shameful, petty behavior on the part of people who are responsible for running this company."

Carly kept her eyes fixed on the men in the ring. There was no shortage of confidence on either side. It made the Shield look battle-ready, but Evolution wore it as arrogance. Both groups backed off; Evolution to the near corner, the Shield to the far one. Carly flinched as the bell rang.

"Looks like we're getting started with Dean Ambrose and Triple H," said Mr. Cole, "Both what you could call the frontmen of their respective factions."

Dean and Triple H began slowly, taking calculated strikes, falling back, sizing each other up.

"Both of them like to talk," Carly smirked, "The difference being, you can actually _trust _what Dean Ambrose says."

Dean had Triple H backed into a corner now, landing a series of kicks to his ribs.

"Interesting that you of all people should take such a dim view of the Authority," said JBL, "Considering the fact that you worked closely with them when you started out here."

"That's exactly _why _I take a dim view of the Authority. To them, everybody is expendable if – no!" Carly couldn't stop herself from shouting as Triple H connected a string of punches to Dean's face. The fight continued in the center of the ring. "I beg your pardon, gentlemen. You might say I'm personally invested in this match."

"Tag made to Rollins," said Mr. Cole.

Dean held Triple H upright while Seth leapt from the top rope to punch him in the head. Unfortunately, Triple H suddenly got his second wind, and began to mop the floor with Seth before he could get any momentum going.

"Carly, your victory over Stephanie McMahon two weeks ago ensured that she would no longer be able to 'directly or indirectly harm, affect, or otherwise interfere with' the Shield and yourself," Mr. Cole continued, "When you made that deal, did you anticipate the sort of backlash the Shield has received?"

"Did we anticipate backlash? Of course we did," said Carly, "Did we expect Evolution? Not so much. They caught us off guard once, but it won't happen again."

"Is that why you came out here with a kendo stick?" asked JBL, eying it apprehensively.

"I learned my lesson about getting caught unawares and unarmed last week," said Carly, "I prefer to be prepared. They're the Shield, I'll be the sword."

"And Triple H going for the cover," said Mr. Cole, "Rollins kicks out at two. The tag has been made to Batista now."

Carly was silent for a bit as the commentators bantered back and forth. She couldn't tell if she was more worried about Dean or Seth or Roman in this match. She eventually came to the conclusion that she was most concerned about whoever was the legal man. Seth was making a good comeback against Batista, using his agility and quick-thinking against his opponent's strength. But Batista hadn't just been worn down by Triple H.

"Oh! Batista tossing Seth Rollins out of the ring, right in front of the announcers' table," said Mr. Cole.

"Rollins is a long way from home," JBL chuckled, "Looks like he could be in trouble."

And indeed, he was. Seth lay where he had fallen, breathing heavily, while Dean and Roman shouted encouragement. Batista paced in the ring. Carly saw a look pass between Triple H and Randy Orton. Thin, almost cruel smiles played on their mouths. The jumped down from the apron, advancing on Seth. Dean and Roman yelled at the referee to do something, but the ref only focused on telling them to cool off. This wasn't good. Carly stood quickly.

"Excuse me for a moment," she said, taking off the headset.

Carly tapped Triple H on the shoulder with the tip of the kendo stick, withdrawing it as he turned so he wouldn't have the chance to grab it from her. She smiled politely and shook her head.

"Back on the apron, if you please, sirs," she said.

Triple H and Orton hesitated, glancing at each other. Carly could see Seth getting to his feet. Batista seemed unaware, as he was watching Carly as well. Dean and Roman were tensed, ready to leap into action. Carly wanted to avoid that if at all possible. It would only wear them out more, and Seth had said they wanted to win clean.

"Now," Carly said firmly.

Apparently interference wasn't worth risking a drubbing with a kendo stick. Triple H and Orton returned to their corner as Seth slid back into the ring. Carly sat down and put the headset back on.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, "Some people have no sense of fair play."

The pace of the match quickened. Seth managed to make the tag to Roman at the same moment that Randy Orton was tagged in. Roman and Orton fought furiously until Roman tried to cover and Batista ran in to interfere. That was all the prompting Dean and Seth needed. They stormed the ring, tossing Batista over the ropes. Dean punched Triple H, sending him to the floor as well.

"Look out below!" JBL shouted as Dean and Seth executed their stereo suicide dive.

Back in the ring, Roman signaled for a Superman punch. It was all Carly could do not to scream in excitement along with the fans.

"Superman punch!" shouted Mr. Cole, "Orton is down! Ambrose and Rollins are making short work of the rest of Evolution outside the ring. Roman makes the cover… and he's got it! The Shield is victorious over Evolution!"

"Eat that, suckers!" Carly blurted out. Then, realizing she'd said that out loud, she cleared her throat and laughed sheepishly, "I beg your pardon. Thank you for having me, gentlemen."

And with that, Carly jumped up and ran to the ramp, throwing her arms around the Shield when they made their triumphant exit.

xXx

It was a rather exuberant bunch that walked out to the car that night. They had every right to be pleased with themselves. Another perfectly executed victory, courtesy of the Shield. It was Evolution's turn to run off with their tails between their legs.

"To the Shield!" said Carly, raising her hand as if making a toast, "Long may the Hounds deal out justice!"

"To my brother, Roman Reigns, for clinching the win," said Dean, following suit.

"To the Architect, Seth Rollins, for another brilliant game-plan," Roman patted Seth on the back.

"And to the brother they call the Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose, for one hell of a fight," said Seth, giving Dean a quick hug around the shoulders.

"Let's not forget the princess," said Roman.

He smiled down at Carly as he put an arm around her.

"To Carly Caden, for her valiant efforts to keep Evolution honest," was Seth's tongue-in-cheek praise.

"And for being the only thing that annoys Triple H more than we do," Dean added.

"Gee, thanks," Carly said drily.

"Okay, boy wonder," Dean grinned as he turned around, walking backwards to address Seth, "What's their next move?"

"Well, taking us down all at once didn't work," said Seth, "And Evolution is stronger as individuals than it is as a team. You can bet their next strategy is going to be trying to take us out one by one."

**(Note: Thoughts? Opinions? Read any good books lately? Or something. I'd love to know what you think so far, so don't be a stranger, okay? -M)**


	6. Superman

**Superman**

The Shield was ready. The recent victory over Evolution was fresh in their minds and, having proven themselves superior as a unit, they were eager to prove themselves individually superior. The only question was, who would be up first?

Carly stood by as the boys limbered up, wondering what each one was thinking about. This was just another facet of the Shield's unique dynamic. They typically fought together. What they accomplished, they did _as_ a team and _for_ the team. But they were still three incredibly strong personalities, not to mention greatly talented individuals. With anyone else, it wouldn't have worked. Somebody would have gotten jealous and sabotaged the others. That's what happened to Evolution, after all. Not so with the Shield. They managed to balance it somehow. Carly still wasn't sure how they did it.

"Alright," Seth said, "We're gonna start off tonight by giving Evolution a taste of their own medicine."

"Meaning we're gonna grab a few microphones and let Dean rub their noses in it," said Roman, chuckling a little.

"Exactly," said Seth, "Unless the man himself objects."

"You won't hear any objections from me," said Dean, "I welcome any opportunity to make my voice heard in this company – don't give me that look, Carly – especially if the end result is I get first crack at the suits."

"I think I'll do a little reconnaissance, see if I can give you any advance warning of what they're planning," said Carly.

"Sounds good," Seth nodded.

"Be careful, though," said Roman.

"Aren't I always?" said Carly.

"No, actually. You _never _are," Roman said with a wry smile, "That's why I worry."

Suddenly reminded of lyrics, Carly started to sing, "_I'm alright, don't nobody worry 'bout me. Why you gotta give me a fight? Can't you just let it be_." She broke off and grimaced, "Whatever's the matter with Dean, it must be contagious. That was weird. I'm out."

"Next time I ask you to come to karaoke night with us, I'm not taking no for an answer!" Dean called after her.

"That's what you think," Carly called back, sticking her tongue out at him, "I'll come find you guys after you're finished out there."

The Shield's high-spirits must have been catching. Carly grinned to herself as she set off for Triple H's office. The Authority didn't exactly take people into their confidence about their plans, so the best way to find anything out was good old-fashioned eavesdropping.

Carly approached the hallway cautiously. She knew that Evolution had already arrived, and she was fairly certain they had gone straight into the office. There was no one around. She listened a moment longer for any sound of approaching footsteps. Hearing none, she went silently to the closed office door.

Sure enough, she could hear all three of them in there. Carly leaned carefully against the doorframe to listen. They were too far from the door for her to catch much more than one word in three, but it didn't sound like they were saying anything of importance yet. Still, it had surprised Carly how effective a strategy listening at keyholes was. She'd gotten some of her best information this way. She wished they would say something _now_, though. She couldn't afford to linger out there too –

Footsteps in the hall behind her. Carly spun around, hoping beyond all hope that it was someone she was on good terms with. No such luck.

Brad Maddox stopped in his tracks when he saw her. He titled his head quizzically, like the dumb, pretty little puppy he was. He opened his mouth to speak. Carly shook her head and frantically motioned for him to keep quiet.

"Carly, what are you doing here?" he asked, far more loudly than was necessary.

Carly glared exasperatedly at him. Brad wasn't a bad guy, but he was first and foremost a cowardly suck-up. There was no time and no place to run. The office door burst open.

"What's going on out here?" said Triple H.

"I got turned around looking for a vending machine," said Carly, inventing a lie at random.

"She was standing outside your office door," Brad contradicted, "It looked like she was eavesdropping."

"Is that so?" Triple H said, eying Carly calculatingly.

Carly sighed. This was not her day.

"You really are a weasel, aren't you, Brad?" she said.

"Now, you shouldn't call him names. Brad Maddox is a very intelligent, capable young man, and one of our most loyal employees," said Triple H. Out of the corner of her eye, Carly could see Brad preening a little from the false compliments. "You, on the other hand, enjoy borrowing trouble. Why don't you step into my office, Carly."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not," Carly said lightly.

"I'm sorry, did that sound like a request?" Triple H lowered his voice menacingly, "Office. Now."

From bad to worse. With a parting glare at Brad, Carly stepped through the door. Orton and Batista stood inside. They'd been intently watching the entire exchange. Carly stood up a little straighter, rearranging her expression into one of nonchalance.

"Excuse me, sir," said Brad as Triple H started to close the door, "I wanted to ask-"

"Later, Brad. Later," Triple H said with a mollifying smile, "I have to handle this situation first."

"Right, of course," Brad held up his hands apologetically, "I'll come back later."

"You do that," Triple H nodded, and shut the door.

Triple H turned back to face Carly, exchanging glances with Orton and Batista. They were all silent. Carly tried to stand her ground, to not look nervous. But the truth was that these three men were very intimidating to face alone, and she was surrounded by them. She watched Triple H with what she hoped was an expression of blank indifference, assuming her nervously racing heartbeat didn't belie it.

"Now," said Triple H, stepping closer so he towered over her, "Would you care to explain exactly what you were doing outside my door?"

He didn't look angry. He didn't even look annoyed, like he usually did whenever he saw Carly. He was actually smiling, and Carly realized that was because he knew he had her cornered.

"I was concerned there might have been a fire or something," she said evenly, "It seemed like there was a lot of hot air in this room."

"Cute. Alright, if you don't want to talk, let me make an educated guess" Triple H circled Carly slowly as he spoke, "The Shield is up to something, as usual, and they want to know what _we're_ up to, so their little "architect" can make his plans. So they sent you to spy on us. How am I doing so far?"

Unable to think of any smart remarks, Carly held his gaze levelly. Triple H's humorless smile widened.

"Of course they did," he said, "Amateur tactics from a bunch of amateurs."

"And what would you call the men who get beaten by a bunch of amateurs?" said Carly with a faint smirk, "Oh, that's right: has-beens."

"Once again, you fail to realize the precarious position you're in, Carly," said Triple H, "But then again, so does the Shield."

"That's nice," Carly said disinterestedly, "If you're through, sir, may I go now?"

"No," said Triple H, shaking his head slowly, "No, I don't think so. The Shield has been using you as the ace up their sleeves. I think it's about time they learned that I hold all the cards. Tonight, you're going to stay right here where we can keep an eye on you."

"Why don't you have a seat and make yourself comfortable?" said Randy Orton. He grinned that unsettling grin of his and motioned to a chair.

"No, thank you. I'd rather stand," said Carly, raising her chin haughtily.

"The man offered you a seat," said Triple H, "Don't be rude, Carly. After all, you are our guest."

He laid a hand on Carly's shoulder and gestured to the chair. They did say that discretion was the better part of valor, and if she was going to pick her battles, "to sit or not to sit" didn't rank very high. Carly shrugged off Triple H's hand and sat down, trying to affect the same relaxed-yet-dignified posture she had the night of Evolution's return.

"Dave," said Triple H, "Would you mind seeing if Brad's still hanging around in the hallway? If he is, tell him to send over a camera. I get the feeling the Shield is going to make a statement, and it'd be impolite not to respond."

Batista complied, leaving Carly with Triple H and Randy Orton. They seemed content to ignore her, for the most part, but they were careful to keep their conversation from touching on the situation with the Shield.

Carly was annoyed with Brad Maddox for being so useless, angry with herself for being careless enough to get caught, and worried about what Triple H was planning. She was certain he had a plan, even though he said nothing to Orton or Batista about it. Strangely enough, they didn't even ask. This wasn't a team. This was a dictatorship.

About half an hour later, the camera crew was all set up in Triple H's office. Still not a word about what Evolution was going to do. Perhaps that was because Triple H didn't want Carly spilling it to the Shield while he addressed them.

"Get up," Triple H ordered.

Carly chose to stand on her own, thinking that would be more dignified than refusing and having Randy Orton twist her arm again. Triple H positioned himself and Batista in front of the camera, having Orton and Carly just out of view. On the monitor, Carly could see the Shield entering the ring. She was torn between apprehension and frustration. Here she was, completely unable to help, and the Shield was probably in danger because she had messed up. Once the crowd's cheering had died down some, Dean began to speak.

"After ten years," he said, "Evolution is back. After ten years, they show up thinking they still run this place. Well, a lot can change in ten years. We run this yard now. _The Shield _runs this yard, and we aren't giving it up without a fight. As for Evolution, well, they aren't the men they were ten years ago. We proved that last week when we showed them that, without their little army of toy soldiers backing them up, they can't even touch us."

Triple H signaled to the camera man.

"Is that what you think?" he said.

Carly watched the Shield turn to look up at the TitanTron.

"I've got to hand it to you boys," Triple H said affably, "You are _persistent_. You keep on thinking that you're the big heroes around here, that you're gonna take on the world and win. Good for you. But I have to say, as heroes? You're doing a pretty lackluster job. Oh, I'm sorry, maybe you didn't notice. Your princess is in another castle."

He gestured to Randy Orton, who pushed Carly forward so she was standing beside Triple H, each of them holding one of her shoulders in a vice-like grip. The Shield was startled, glancing at each other in consternation.

"Sending Carly over here to spy on us?" said Triple H, "Not very heroic. I thought you three had some code of honor or something. Carly, don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

Carly was only able to shake her head miserably and say, "I'm sorry, guys."

"Now, you listen to me-" Seth began heatedly.

"Look, don't go getting all upset," Triple H interrupted, "I'm going to give you the chance to fight for the return of your little princess. Tonight, a member of the Shield will take on a member of Evolution in a one-on-one match, and afterwards I'll let you retrieve Miss Carly here. And, since I'm in a generous mood, I'm going to let you decide amongst yourselves which one of you will face which one of us."

Roman grabbed the microphone from Seth and stepped forward before the other two could say a word.

"Nothing you said changes the fact that you're still a bunch of second-rate supervillains who think your money and your big talk'll protect you," said Roman, "But if it's a hero you want, Batista's gonna find out that they don't call it a Superman punch for nothing, when he faces me tonight. And Carly? Don't worry, girl. You know I'll come for you. Believe that!"

Roman tossed the mic over his shoulder, glaring up at the screen with a fierce intensity in his eyes while Dean and Seth patted him on the back encouragingly. Triple H cast an inquiring glance in Batista's direction.

"Very touching," Batista said evenly, "I look forward to it, Roman."

The Shield's theme began to play, and the camera was turned off. Randy turned to smile and nod approvingly at Batista. Carly was still a little wary. This sounded far too cut-and-dried for Triple H. She sat back down while Evolution continued talking about nothing of relevance and tried to figure out where the catch was.

"Well, we'd better get down to the locker room," said Triple H, as the main event timeslot drew near, "But first, we have to put Carly someplace for safekeeping."

With Orton's hands firmly gripping onto her shoulders once again, Carly was brought out into the hallway. Triple H stopped in front of a nondescript door. Pulling out a ring of keys, he unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a janitor's closet.

"You can't be serious," Carly said flatly.

"I can't have you causing trouble," said Triple H, "Somebody will come let you out after the match."

Randy Orton gave Carly a little shove into the room. She turned around to glare at Batista through narrowed eyes.

"He's going to tear you to pieces," she said.

"Oh, I highly doubt that," Triple H smirked, "What, you think I don't have a contingency plan?"

"You don't think I can handle Roman Reigns?" Batista asked, with a disgruntled look in Triple H's direction.

"Of course I know you can," Triple H said soothingly, "But the Shield will be banned from ringside, and in case something goes wrong, there's always the… what did Dean Ambrose call them? Toy soldiers? You see, Carly, I still call the shots around here. And I say that one way or another, Roman Reigns isn't coming through this match in one piece."

With that, Triple H slammed the door. Carly instantly pressed her ear against it and waited until the sound of their footsteps had faded. When she was certain they had gone, she stepped back.

This was bad. This was extraordinarily bad. Roman was in trouble, and it was her fault. No, focus. Think. Where did she stand? She tried the doorknob, even though she knew it was locked, and was proved correct. The door opened inward, so trying to bust it open wouldn't work.

Carly pounded her fists against the door. Maybe somebody would hear her, and hopefully it'd be someone who'd be on her side. She had to get out. She had to warn the Shield. If she wasn't such an albatross, none of them would be in this mess.

So this was the price of standing up to the Authority, was it? You put yourself in danger. You got your friends hurt. But you kept on fighting, consequences be damned. That's what the Shield did, so that's what she'd do, too.

Carly's arms started to ache. How long had she been pounding on that door? Ten minutes? Fifteen? The match would be starting soon. If Roman got the upper hand (and Carly had every confidence that he would) he was in for a terrible surprise. She had to get out. She had to do something.

"Hello?" Carly called, still doggedly banging on the door, "Is anybody out there? Please, somebody help me!"

"Hello?"

Carly gasped. Somebody had answered her. There was somebody outside.

"Who's there?" she called.

"It's Natalya," the voice answered, "Who's in there?"

Oh, thank God!

"Natalya, it's Carly," she shouted, "Roman's in trouble. You have to get me out of here!"

"Alright," Natalya called back, "Just hold on. I don't know if… Wait, I've got it!"

Of all the people that could have passed by, she was beyond relieved that it had been Natalya. She wasn't a pawn of the Authority. Carly heard the sound of Natalya fumbling with the doorknob, then a strange metallic clicking or scraping sound, and then the door swung open. There stood Natalya, holding up a bobby pin triumphantly. Carly rushed into the hallway and took her by the shoulders.

"Thank you," she said fervently, "Really, thank you. Do you know if the match started yet?"

"It will in a few minutes," said Natalya, "But what-"

"Kendo sticks," Carly interrupted, "Do you know where they store them?"

Natalya blinked, a little taken aback.

"Yeah, sure," she said, "Follow me."

They walked quickly, which Carly was glad of. She had a plan. It wasn't a very _good _plan, but it was the best she could do. She didn't know where Dean and Seth would be, and there was no time to find them.

"So, you wanna tell me what's going on? Since I'm already aiding and abetting here," said Natalya.

"Triple H is going to sabotage the match," Carly explained, "He said (and I quote) 'one way or another, Roman Reigns isn't getting through this match in one piece.' If it looks like Batista's losing, he'll send out the goon squad to beat Roman up."

"Ok, I'm following so far," said Natalya, "But where do the kendo sticks come in?"

"If worse comes to worse and Triple H calls in the reinforcements, I'll be waiting for them," said Carly, "I'm gonna stand at the bottom of the ramp, so they'll all be bottlenecked up, and hold them off as long as I can. That's the idea, at least. Don't know if it'll work."

"Here they are," said Natalya.

She flipped open a storage crate. Carly grabbed a kendo stick and turned back to her. She had to hurry. The match might've started already.

"Thank you again," she said, "You'd better get out of here. I don't think anybody saw you with me, so you should be safe. I won't tell anybody that you let me out."

"No way," Natalya shook her head, "I'm coming with you."

"You can't do that," Carly protested, "If the Authority sees you helping me, it'll only put a huge target on your back."

"What can they do to me?" Natalya said fiercely, "The women's division here is an afterthought. We don't even have a legitimate tag-team championship title. All we get is one division title for all of us to fight over, when they actually bother to schedule matches for us, that is. Hell, the only way some of us can get ahead is to let ourselves be used as arm-candy because we have no other options. That stupid butterfly belt, and the fact that we have to call ourselves _divas_, honestly. It's a joke. We have a roster full of talented women who are just sitting around and wasting their potential, and I'm sick of it. You're gonna strike back at the Authority? It'd be my pleasure to help you out."

There was an almost queenly defiance about Natalya as she spoke. Carly stared at her in unmasked admiration. Everything Stephanie pretended to be, Natalya was in earnest. Carly had been so busy working with the Shield against the Authority, she hadn't really considered what things were like for the women wrestlers. But Natalya was right.

"I'd be glad to have you," Carly smiled, "Here, you should take one of these, too."

She handed Natalya one of the kendo sticks. Natalya took it doubtfully.

"These things aren't exactly my style," she said.

"We're going to be outnumbered," Carly reasoned, "And besides, they're actually pretty fun."

"If you say so," said Natalya.

"Come on, we have to hurry," said Carly, and she and Natalya took off running for the ring.

xXx

"_Both of the other members of Evolution, Triple H and Randy Orton, are sitting ringside as this match gets underway. Triple H has said that they're just here to watch."_

"_And what's wrong with that?"_

"_Well, the Shield has been banned from ringside. If Evolution can sit in to watch their teammate, why can't the Shield?"_

"_The Shield is unpredictable and dangerous, and I think it's a wise decision on the Authority's part to keep them out of the way."_

"_Of course you do. Oh! Big right hand from Batista. It's an interesting match-up we have here, Roman Reigns choosing to challenge Batista."_

"_Strength against strength. Roman Reigns wants to prove that he's the big dog? He's gonna go against the Animal, Batista."_

"_Hold on, who's that? Is that Carly Caden and Natalya? What are they doing?"_

xXx

Carly saw Triple H jump to his feet as he saw her and Natalya running down the ramp. She waved cheerily at him as they stopped at the bottom. He was angrily shouting something at them, but she couldn't quite make out what. Carly smirked. Let him yell. She'd just thrown a wrench into his plans once again.

"Can he do anything to get rid of us?" Natalya asked.

"Short of physically dragging us out? No," said Carly, "He never bothered to ban _me _from ringside when he banned Dean and Seth."

Natalya nodded, and Carly turned her attention to the ring. Batista kept casting uneasy glances in their direction. Roman did not. He must have seen them run in but, in true Roman Reigns fashion, he was staying focused on the task at hand, and Carly was glad of it. She hadn't really stopped to consider that her presence might be a distraction to him. She'd only been thinking about how to stop Triple H's thugs from touching him.

The fight itself was pretty evenly matched. Roman, being the younger man, was a little quicker on his feet. The moves he could not power out of, he evaded entirely. But Batista had years of experience under his belt. Carly tapped her fingers anxiously against the kendo stick. She didn't want Roman to get beaten by the likes of Batista. On the other hand, if Roman started doing too well, there was a chance he'd get roughed up by about a dozen guys again. She wished she knew where Dean and Seth were. They wouldn't interfere on Roman's behalf unless the match was ruled a D.Q.

Carly gasped as Batista sidestepped a charging Roman, letting him run himself shoulder-first into the steel post, hard. She could hear him groaning in pain over the concerned reaction of the crowd. Roman pushed himself back into the ring, holding his left arm close to his body.

Running his own shoulder into Roman's, Batista knocked him to the ground. Batista then got behind Roman and hit him with a shoulder claw. Roman gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. Batista seized a handful of Roman's hair and threw him facedown, putting him in an armbar. Roman was only barely able to reach the rope and force a break. As the ref warned Batista off, Roman got to his feet, but the damage was done. Batista continued to capitalize, doing everything he could think of to further wrench that injured shoulder.

This was bad. Carly watched with growing concern. In her mind, Roman had always seemed indestructible, somehow. She knew he wasn't really. But seeing him hurt, perhaps badly, scared her. Carly glanced over at Triple H and Randy Orton, who were watching the proceedings with smug satisfaction. Creeps.

Suddenly, Roman hit Batista with a one-armed Samoan drop. As Batista tried to get to his feet, Roman ran to the corner and got onto the second rope. The instant Batista turned to face him, Roman leapt down and hit him with a clothesline. Carly couldn't believe it. He was actually gaining momentum, and he was doing it one-handed. Roman Reigns was superhuman after all. He held his fist in the air, signaling for a Superman punch. The audience nearly exploded. And then, Triple H stood up.

He gestured towards the stage. This was it. Carly and Natalya looked at each other in alarm and turned around just in time to see the goon squad rounding the curtain. Carly readied the kendo stick.

"Here we go," she said.

xXx

"_It looks like trouble for Roman Reigns. Triple H just signaled for back-up, and here they come. But Carly and Natalya are ready for them!"_

"_I don't know how they knew, but they must've known."_

"_Those two women appear to be holding back, it must be about a dozen men! Triple H is livid. It looks like he and Randy Orton are going to take matters into their own hands. Now all three members of Evolution are going after Roman Reigns, focusing their attacks on that injured shoulder."_

xXx

Carly heard the bell ring and knew without turning to look that it was on account of Triple H and Randy Orton getting involved. She concentrated on the task at hand and hoped that Dean and Seth weren't far off. She swung away at anyone who got close to the end of the ramp. They yelped, fell back, tried to come at her again. They seemed torn between their obligation to follow orders, their desire to attack Roman Reigns, and the instinct to avoid getting whacked in the face with a kendo stick.

"You're right," Natalya called, "These things are fun. But I'm a Hart, you know. I prefer to talk with my fists."

With that, she tossed aside the busted kendo stick and started fending the men off by hand. Carly watched out of the corner of her eye, awestruck. Natalya was a fantastic fighter. She'd never known. She couldn't really remember the last time she'd seen Natalya in a match.

Suddenly, a roar of excitement swept through the crowd and once again, Carly knew without looking what it meant.

xXx

"_Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins! They just flew out of nowhere, coming to the aid of Roman Reigns!"_

xXx

The goon squad backed off. They looked at each other hesitantly, shaking their heads, and turned and walked away. Thank God for human cowardice!

Carly looked back to the ring to see Dean on the floor brawling with Triple H, driving him around towards the ramp. Seth sprang onto the ropes and leapt forward, his knee colliding with Randy Orton's head. Batista and Roman got to their feet. Once again, Roman was quicker. Batista turned just in time to receive a Superman punch. Carly found herself cheering along with the crowd, and saw that Natalya was doing the same.

Now Triple H was pulling Orton from the ring as Dean jumped into it. He and Seth nodded at each other and executed a perfect tandem suicide dive, all four men landing sprawled out at Carly and Natalya's feet. Dean and Seth rebounded almost instantly, running back to Roman.

Back in the ring, Roman threw back his head and roared. He signaled to Dean and Seth to pick Batista up. They hesitated, Seth saying something that sounded like a question and indicating Roman's shoulder. Roman shook his head, emphatically ordering them to get Batista to his feet. Dean and Seth complied, and together the three of them sent Batista crashing into the mat with a triple-powerbomb.

Carly and Natalya high-fived, and Carly pulled her into an enthusiastic hug. Without Natalya's help, this all could've been just a repeat of Evolution's first beat-down of the Shield. Triple H and Orton had pulled Batista from the ring and were now staggering back up the ramp with the help of some of the officials. Triple H glared at Carly and Natalya, but said nothing. Carly just smiled. She turned to Natalya.

"Thank you," she said gratefully, "You deserve so much better. And if I ran the zoo, I promise you that you'd get it."

"I'll be sure to remember that," Natalya laughed.

She shook Carly's hand and headed up the ramp as the Shield approached. Dean supported a rather badly beaten but still smiling Roman Reigns.

"Come on, uce. We gotta get you looked at," Dean was saying.

"Nice work in there. _Great _work, Roman," Seth said, "And Carly, using the ramp as a bottleneck? Good thinking. I imagine you've got quite a story for us."

He grinned and threw an arm around Carly's shoulders, pulling her along with them.

xXx

It was late in the evening when Carly, Seth, and Dean finally got Roman and his sprained shoulder back to the hotel room. In spite of Roman's protests, they hadn't allowed him to do anything for himself. Not carrying his bags, not opening doors, and especially not driving. Any insistence of being fine on his part was met with an "I know you are, but… just let me do that, alright?" They were all just thankful the damage hadn't been worse.

Roman watched patiently as Dean rearranged the pillows on one of the hotel beds.

"You don't have to do that, you know," was his feeble protestation.

"Yeah, I do," said Dean, "You're hurt. I gotta be responsible and take care of you, so you can get back to one-hundred percent as fast as possible. And that means you gotta rest up."

Roman sighed, but didn't put up any resistance when Dean carefully guided him over and sat him down on the bed.

"You and Seth get like this every time, and it's never necessary," said Roman.

"Less arguing, more resting," said Dean, "Doctor's orders."

Dean planted one hand on Roman's chest and gently pushed him back so he was laying propped up on the pillows.

"Yeah, well, your bedside manner needs work," said Roman.

"Shut up, Roman," Dean said, not unkindly.

Roman smiled wryly, settling himself onto the pillows, and let Dean pull the covers over him. Carly watched them in amusement. It was funny to see big, stoic Roman Reigns submit to being fussed over by odd, erratic Dean Ambrose. More than that, though, the role-reversal between these two was entertaining, bordering on endearing. Typically, it was Roman being den-mother to Dean and Seth.

Speak of the devil, Seth let himself back into the room, carrying a bottle of Coca-Cola and a full ice-bucket. He passed the latter off to Carly.

"If you don't mind taking care of the patient, Carly?" said Seth.

"I'm on it," she said.

She tied off the plastic bag full of ice and wrapped it in a hand towel while Seth walked over to Roman.

"Not you too, Seth," Roman groaned.

"Aw, come on. You can't be annoyed with me," Seth cajoled, "I brought you a Coke."

He twisted off the cap and passed it to Roman. Coke _was_ Roman's favorite, and Carly could tell that he didn't _really_ mind all the attention. She sat down on the bed beside him and settled the makeshift ice-pack onto his injured shoulder.

"Thanks, Carly," said Roman.

"Hey, what?" said Dean, wrinkling his nose in mock indignation, "You back-sass at us but you're nice to her?"

"Eh, I like her better than you," Roman said teasingly.

"Some brother you are," Seth sniffed, feigning offense, as he sat down next to Dean on the other bed.

"Y'know, Roman," said Dean, changing the subject, "In the match-"

And he and Seth launched into a critique of Roman's performance that night, complimenting him on certain moves and giving him pointers about others. Carly was almost surprised that Roman was listening intently to everything they said. But, on second thought, maybe it wasn't that surprising. Roman had been the rookie when the Shield started out. Dean and Seth, having more experience, must have been teaching him the ropes in their early days. And maybe that's why they were so concerned about him. To them, Roman would always be their rookie little brother that they wanted to protect. It was actually really sweet, now that Carly thought about it.

As she looked down at the injured Roman, regret began to claw at Carly. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked, smiling confusedly at her.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue," said Carly.

"Look at you. You didn't need my help," he said modestly, "I should be thanking _you_ for rescuing _me_."

"But you wouldn't have gotten hurt if I hadn't been dumb enough to let that weasel sneak up on me," said Carly, "I'm sorry, Roman. Really, I am."

"Hey, it's not your fault," said Roman, laying his hand on top of Carly's, "And you're my little sister, right? If you need me, I'm there, just like I am for my brothers here."

"Believe that?" said Carly.

"Now you're catching on," Roman grinned.

"Hey Seth, how sure are we that he _isn't _actually Superman?" Dean asked.

"Who can say?" Seth shrugged.

_**(Note: Thank you to all you lovely people who gave feedback!)**_


	7. Brothers-in-Arms

**Brothers-in-Arms**

"Shouldn't he be, I don't know, getting ready for his match?" Carly asked, "It's only about half an hour from now."

She leaned up against the wall of the trainers' room next to Dean. Roman was sitting on the table while Seth worked on wrapping and taping his shoulder.

"Nah," Dean said, shrugging, "Seth can think better when he has something to do with his hands. And besides, he can handle Triple H any day."

After the ridiculousness of Monday, this next showdown between Evolution and the Shield looked fairly ordinary. Triple H went out and announced that he'd be challenging the Architect of the Shield. No fanfare, no drama, and nobody allowed at ringside. Apparently Trips had learned from his mistakes and banned Carly as well this time.

Seth didn't appear concerned. But then again, this was Seth Rollins. He had the best (and only) poker face of the three. He wore an expression of intense focus as he carefully and meticulously tended to Roman's shoulder. Carly watched his eyes, wondering what he was actually thinking about. Strategizing, probably. Roman winced a bit as Seth tightened the wrapping.

"You alright?" Seth asked.

"Yeah, thanks," said Roman.

"That about does it," said Seth. He tossed the tape aside and helped Roman put on his vest, "Carly, is the area clear?"

Carly went to the door and stuck her head out. Nobody but neutral parties as far as she could tell. She pulled the door shut.

"Looks like it," said Carly.

"Alright," said Seth, rubbing his hands together, "Now, if what happened on Monday is any indication, it looks like Evolution is less concerned about winning matches against us, and more about beating the hell out of us."

"Meaning this match is a trap, too," said Roman.

"Most definitely," said Seth, "But our plan doesn't change. We try to win clean, and if that doesn't work, we let them get disqualified."

"Since when are you all honor-above-all-else?" Dean asked, "I thought you were too pragmatic for that stuff."

"Carly's starting to rub off on me. I don't know," Seth wrinkled his nose, "The point is, they made this about reputation. About image. And if that's more important to them, then that's how we'll play it, too. The difference being they want to come off looking stronger. We're gonna come off looking _better_. As in, we are the better men, not just the better fighters. Make sense? Good. That's why I don't want you guys interfering first, no matter what happens."

"If that's how you want it," Dean said dubiously.

"I mean it, Dean," said Seth, looking at him sternly.

"I got it," Dean narrowed his eyes, "You don't have to get all pushy with me, Seth."

They scowled at each other. This was an argument Carly hadn't heard before, and she'd experienced their greatest hits multiple times. She sidled over to Roman.

"Explanation?" she asked quietly.

"Dean can be a little…" Roman hesitated, "Overeager, I guess, when it looks like one of us is in trouble. He's cost us a couple tag-team matches. Got us disqualified before Seth or I could rein him in."

Who would've thought it? The Lunatic Fringe was secretly a sentimental fool. Then again, considering the way Dean had looked after Roman when he got injured, it made sense. Apparently Dean Ambrose was a deep well. A deep _treacle_ well, probably, but still.

"Anyway," said Seth, breaking off the battle of snarks that had continued during Carly and Roman's aside, "If you _do _have to get involved, don't get carried away, Roman. We need you healed up as soon as possible, so don't push yourself too far, alright?"

"Alright," said Roman.

"But you know Triple H is gonna call in his two lapdogs at some point," said Dean, "Shouldn't we at least do _something _to get in their way?"

That would be nice. Carly was still a bit ruffled about getting taken hostage by the Authority and locked in a room. Twice. Suddenly, a grin spread across her face. Of course. That'd be _perfect_.

"I have an idea," she said, "But I'll need a little help."

"We can't leave Seth by himself," Dean shook his head, "What if Triple H tries to break him down before the match?"

"Then you watch his back, and I'll go with Carly," said Roman, "Sound good?"

"Works for me," said Carly, "You'll only need one strong arm for this job, anyway."

"Then I've got you covered," Roman grinned.

"Don't worry, guys," said Carly, "I'll bring Roman back in one piece. See you in a bit, Dean."

Roman followed Carly into the hall. If she remembered correctly from following Natalya last time, Carly had a pretty good idea of where they stored all the toys.

"That was good thinking, Roman," said Carly, "Giving Dean something constructive to do with all that over-protectiveness."

"Yeah, well, I'm not just a pretty face," Roman said, tossing his hair back jokingly.

Of course. She should've been used to it by now, but Carly never ceased to be amazed by these three. They knew each other so _well_; how to handle their brothers and bring out the best in them. Roman stood back and watched as Carly rummaged through the boxes stored near the loading dock.

"So, you wanna let me in on the plan?" he asked.

"We're gonna give those two creeps a taste of their own- aha! Found them," said Carly. She straightened up and triumphantly brandished two pairs of handcuffs, "I don't know why this company insists on bringing this stuff along even when none of the scheduled matches call for it, but hey."

xXx

It had been easy enough to convince an intern named Juan to go tell Orton and Batista that Triple H wanted them to go to his office. And for fifty bucks it had been _very_ easy to convince Juan that he couldn't remember who gave him the message to pass along, just that it was someone in a suit. When Roman amusedly accused Carly of stooping to bribery, she reasoned that if giving rewards in advance of loyal service was good enough for Viking lords, it was good enough for her.

Now Carly and Roman waited in the COO's office, in the dark, listening. It was a bit of a crazy plan, they had agreed. It had nothing near the finesse of one of Seth's strategies, but it would do. At least, Carly _hoped _it would do. As incalculable minutes (seconds? who could tell) ticked by, Carly began to second-guess the whole thing. Maybe Batista and Orton had smelled a rat. Maybe that intern _was _a rat. Maybe –

Carly froze as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She couldn't quite make out Roman in the dim light, but she knew he was ready. The door opened. Two figures were silhouetted in the light from the hallway.

"Weird…" Batista's voice.

"Hey, Hunter?" Orton's.

A third silhouette crossed into the doorway. It struck once, twice, then slammed the door shut. Carly flicked the lights back on to see Roman standing over the unconscious bodies of Orton and Batista. She gave a low whistle of admiration.

"Not bad for only having one good arm," Roman grinned proudly.

"Not bad at all," Carly laughed.

Roman, one-armed, was still easily able to drag Batista across the room, and returned to help Carly, who hadn't even gotten Orton half the distance. She dropped his arm, a little embarrassed at how out of breath she was.

"They're really heavy," she said.

"Well, they are dead weight on this company," Roman said with a smirk, "You better hurry, though. They might have thicker skulls than even you do."

Carly made a face at him, and pulled the handcuffs out of her pocket. She attached one end to each of their wrists and the other to some sort of water pipe that ran vertically in the corner of the room.

"'Goodnight, ladies, we're going to leave you now,'" she said, turning off the lights.

Roman quietly shut the door behind them.

"Isn't that a song?" he asked.

"Shut up. I didn't sing it, I quoted it, so it doesn't count," said Carly.

They slipped away, thankfully without being seen by anyone. Considering how they'd taken Orton and Batista by surprise, it was safe to assume neither of them had seen Roman. Therefore, they couldn't say for sure who it was that ambushed them. Everybody would still know who it had been, of course. But they had no _proof_, and that was the important thing.

Carly and Roman found Dean hanging around one of the backstage monitors near the ramp. It seemed like he was sulking a little.

"How's Seth?" asked Roman.

"Fine. I walked him up to the doors, but he sent me back down here," said Dean, "How'd your secret mission go?"

"We won't have to worry about Orton or Batista," Carly said smugly, "They're a little tied up at the moment."

"Knocked 'em out and handcuffed them to a pipe in Triple H's office," Roman paraphrased, "It'll be a nice surprise for him when he gets back."

Dean's eyebrows arched in surprise.

"And this was _Carly's_ plan?" he said.

Roman nodded. Dean threw back his head and laughed, then caught Carly in an affectionate headlock, ruffling her hair.

"You can keep telling yourself that you're all noble and honorable, princess," he said, "But you can't fool us. You enjoy being a trickster, don't try to deny it."

"Hey!" Carly squawked, "Come on, Dean, I actually had my hair looking alright today."

Dean let go and Carly tried to smooth down the frizziness. Secretly, she was awfully pleased to have Dean's approval, but it wouldn't do to let _him _know that. Their attention was pulled back to the monitor as they heard the Shield's theme playing.

"There's our boy," said Roman.

"Still in one piece," said Dean.

That look of intense concentration still covered Seth's face, but he carried himself with confidence. He knew what he was doing. He had a plan. But so did Triple H. This match-up made Carly nearly as worried as Dean.

That's where it had all started for her. That was the match she had used to burn that bridge. It felt like a lifetime ago, when she swung that chair with only one thought in her mind: protect Seth Rollins. So she really couldn't blame Dean for his tendency to jump the gun and leap to Seth or Roman's aid. It'd be hypocritical of her to even try.

Seth paced in the ring while Triple H made his entrance. As the camera switched between the two of them, Carly watched their eyes. Their expressions were so similar, and yet… It was calculating. It was sizing the other man up. It was a confidence that bordered on arrogance. As they stared each other down, both men smiled. Seth's face was open and forthright, while Triple H looked… evil? No, that was silly. Far too cliché. But still probably true.

The bell rang and Seth wasted no time. He made deliberate use of his superior agility and speed, not letting himself get caught in a position where Triple H could use his superior strength. He would sidestep a charge, letting Triple H run himself into the turnbuckle. Capitalizing on that, Seth would unload kicks and punches on him, but would always stay ready to step out of range. When Trips recovered, Seth continued to dodge and make calculated strikes. Triple H charged again, only for Seth to slam his head into the turnbuckle and catch him with a tornado DDT as he got to his feet.

It was like Triple H was taking the match at a normal tempo and Seth was working in double-time. For some odd reason, it reminded Carly of the fight between Peter Pan and Captain Hook in the old Disney movie. She almost laughed at the randomness of the thought.

Dean looked more relaxed as well, now that the fight was in full swing. Brotherly concern aside, he apparently had a lot of faith in Seth's talents.

"Look at him go!" Dean crowed, stopping short of clapping Roman on the shoulder when he realized it was the injured one and settling for patting Roman on the head. Roman grinned.

"I can't wait until Triple H calls for backup and nobody shows," he said.

This was a welcome change from the tension they had been living with lately. The Shield may have had to forcibly level the playing field, but they'd made it a fair fight. And it was actually somewhat enjoyable to watch. Seth was performing to perfection. Triple H couldn't even lay a hand on –

Oh no. Either Seth had miscalculated, or Triple H was too quick for him. Triple H landed a blow to Seth's midsection, sending him to his knees, grounding him. That was all the opportunity Triple H needed to take control of the match. When Seth couldn't fly, he was dead in the water.

Carly looked on anxiously as Triple H beat Seth down. He seemed to take far too much enjoyment in it, much to her disgust. Out of the corner of her eye, Carly watched Dean's growing distress. His general inability to hold still was compressed into twitches that lurched through his body like spasms of pain. His jaw clenched as he glared at the monitor. On the surface, Roman appeared to be taking this setback more calmly. But as Carly watched him, she could see his mouth set into a hard line, and the tension in his hands. Roman was just as worried as she and Dean were. He was just better and concealing it.

Triple H threw Seth to the ground, reached his arm over the ropes towards the ramp and beckoned. A rumble of uneasiness passed through the spectators. Seconds passed. Nothing happened. Triple H's smug smile turned to a look of baffled irritation. Carly smirked. Throwing wrenches into the Authority's plans was her specialty.

As Triple H stared towards the stage in confusion, Seth rallied. He leapt on Triple H, attacking him with all of his strength. Unfortunately, it seemed it was also the _last _of his strength, and Triple H made short work of him. But when Seth was laid out, flat on his back, in the center of the ring, Triple H did not go for the pin. With grim anger on his face, he jumped to the floor. Carly's heart stopped in horror as Triple H pulled the sledgehammer out from under the ring.

"Seth!" Dean roared.

He took off like a shot for the ramp, Roman at his heels and Carly close behind Roman. Carly heard the bell ring, signaling a DQ. As she rounded the curtain, she saw Triple H strike Seth once in the head. Dean was barreling down the ramp. Seth caught himself on the ropes, trying to stand. Triple H struck again. Dean shouted Seth's name again, and in an instant he was on Triple H like a mad dog.

No, that wasn't an accurate comparison. Carly and Roman ran down to ringside as Dean tore into Triple H. Dean was moving too quickly, too ferociously for Carly to follow what he was doing. But whatever it was, it was efficient and inventive. Whatever it was, it worked.

Triple H was totally unprepared for the fury of the assault, collapsing under the rain of blows. He fell, getting caught on the bottom rope. Roman saw the opportunity and seized it. Getting a running start, he connected an apron-dropkick to Triple H's head, finishing him off.

Seth struggled to hold himself up on the ropes. Dean turned away from Triple H and went to him.

"Dean," Seth mumbled.

He tried to let go of the top rope, stumbling forward. Dean caught him.

"Whoa, take it easy, Seth," he said, "I got you, buddy."

"Dean?" Seth said again, "What took you guys so long?"

Seth laughed breathlessly, dazedly, and collapsed into Dean's arms in a dead faint.

"Seth? Seth!" said Dean.

Dean gently lowered his unconscious brother to the ground and knelt beside him, his eyes searching Seth's face, not quite willing to entirely let go of him.

"Stubborn, overconfident smart-ass," Dean muttered, chuckling a little in spite of himself, "What took us so long, he asks."

As medics began to swarm around, Dean slipped out of the ring to join Roman and Carly. Dean and Roman nodded to each other. Something needled at the back of Carly's mind. She couldn't tell if it was her conscience bothering her, or just worry about Seth, or something else entirely. She crossed her arms uncomfortably. They heard one of the medics call for a stretcher.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Roman asked.

"We want to get him checked out at the hospital, just to be safe," said one of the medics.

Carly was startled. She'd seen the Shield get roughed up pretty badly, but never so much that the staff medics couldn't handle it. Then again, sledgehammer to the head. Twice. Worry clawed at her stomach.

"You're taking Seth to the hospital?" Dean's brows furrowed, "I'm coming with."

"That isn't necessary," the medic said, "He'll be-"

"Maybe you didn't hear me the first time," said Dean, a threatening edge creeping into his voice, "I said I'm coming with."

"Right, of course," said the medic hastily, "That'll be just fine."

xXx

After getting directions to the local hospital, Carly drove Seth's car through the quiet, darkened streets. She'd seen so many cities while traveling with the Shield and, for the most part, they were all the same. Just a blur of old brick storefronts with large windows next to unnecessarily spacious Walmart parking lots, traffic lights, street lights that were rather pretty if anyone bothered to look at them, packed bars, silent churches. Neither she nor Roman had said much since they left the arena, but she could tell Roman was watching her.

"Something eating you, Carly?" he asked finally.

"Kind of," said Carly, "It's nothing."

"Come on, talk to me," Roman pushed gently, "Worried about Seth, or-?"

"Yeah, that's part of it. But then," Carly sighed in frustration, "I don't know. Nevermind."

Roman didn't say anything, but Carly knew he hadn't given up on the subject. He was waiting for her to give a real answer.

"It's just, I thought we had them this time," she said with a bitter smile, "I thought I was so clever. Orton and Batista were out of the way. It'd be a fair fight. What could go wrong? Everything. You got hurt on Monday, Seth got hurt tonight. No matter what we do, no matter what _I _do, it's never enough. Triple H always finds a way around it."

"You're not gonna do that thing where you blame yourself for everything again, are you?" said Roman, only half-jokingly.

"No," said Carly, "Well, probably not. I'm mad about it, more than anything. He always finds a loophole and I'm sick of it."

"Look, with Triple H, it's _never _gonna be a fair fight," said Roman, "You know that. Me and Dean and Seth knew that going into this whole deal with Evolution. They're gonna cheat, and they're gonna do whatever they can to hurt us and bring us down. But we know that. We're expecting it, and it doesn't change a thing. We're in this for the long haul, princess. We'll get them in the end. I promise. That help any?"

"Yeah, it does," Carly turned briefly to smile at him, "Thank you, Roman."

She parked the car, and she and Roman went inside the hospital to find Dean pacing agitatedly in the waiting area. The few other people who were around eyed him suspiciously, giving him a wide berth. Carly couldn't blame them. A twitchy, muscular guy in combat boots who looked as nervous as a cat? Dean could be a little intimidating if you didn't know him. He stopped pacing when Roman put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"What's the word?" Roman asked.

"Dunno. They wouldn't let me stay with him," said Dean, still seeming a little miffed.

"Well, wearing a hole in the floor and scaring the staff isn't gonna get us news any quicker," said Roman, his practicality oddly comforting, "Why don't we sit down, huh?"

Dean reluctantly threw himself into a chair, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands. Roman and Carly sat on either side of him. Roman seemed calmer, more content to wait for an update without stressing unnecessarily. Dean, on the other hand, was still fretting. Carly wanted to say something to try to make him feel better, but of course she couldn't think of anything.

Still… Carly had noticed that whenever Seth or Roman wanted to ground Dean from getting carried away emotionally, it worked better when they touched him. Well, it couldn't make things worse, could it?

Carly reached towards Dean, then glanced questioningly at Roman, getting the strange feeling that she was asking if she could pet his dog. Roman smiled and nodded for her to go ahead. Carly hesitantly began rubbing Dean's back. He didn't say anything, or react at all really, but Carly felt some of the tension in his muscles releasing. Good. She was helping a little, at least.

Seeing Dean calm down helped Carly feel better too, somehow. It was maddening not to know what condition Seth was in. The last she'd seen, he was still unconscious. He could be seriously injured. This could put his entire career on hold, or worse, it could _end _his career. Carly remembered what had happened to Daniel Bryan and shivered. The Authority was going too far. They had to be stopped. What the hell kind of boss hits his employee with a sledgehammer, anyway?

After about ten minutes of sitting in silence, a doctor walked up to them. Dean jumped to his feet.

"You came in with Mr. Rollins, yes?" said the doctor.

"Where's Seth?" Dean asked anxiously, "Is he okay?"

"Mr. Rollins is fine," the doctor said, "He's suffered a concussion, and we want to keep him under observation for an hour or so, at least until we're sure there are no other complications. He's awake now, if you'd like to see him."

Carly was surprised Dean had the restraint to follow the doctor, instead of running on ahead and trying to find Seth himself. The doctor led them to a row of beds in the emergency department, to the curtained-off one Seth was lying in. Dean and Roman immediately went to his side, clasping his hands warmly.

"Kind of a close call there, Seth," Roman admonished lightly.

"What are you talking about?" Seth said with a slightly groggy smile, "Everything went according to plan. More or less."

"Did you miss the part where you got hit in the head with a sledgehammer? Twice?" said Roman.

"You mean the part where Triple H reminded everyone what a monster he really is?" Seth retorted.

"Meaning you haven't learned your lesson about trying to do things the noble way," Dean rolled his eyes, "Of course you haven't."

"You could've gotten yourself killed with a plan like that," said Carly.

"Like you can talk, princess," said Dean, "You're the one that's a bad influence on him."

Carly made a face at Dean. He made a face back at her while Roman laughed. But Dean's words stuck uncomfortably in the back of her mind. He was right, in a manner of speaking. She thought nothing of putting honor before her own safety, even though she knew it was foolish. Seeing Seth do the same thing bothered her. For the first time, she understood why they all made a fuss when she pulled stupid stunts like that. It really was agonizing for the people who had to stand by and watch. No, worse than that. It was selfish. Maybe, the next time the situation arose, she could afford to be a little more prudent in choosing her battles. At least for the boys' peace of mind.

"I'd been meaning to ask," said Seth, "Carly, what'd you and Roman do to stop Randy and Batista?"

The mental image of those two knocked unconscious and handcuffed to a pipe made Seth laugh hard enough that a nurse came over and told them they would either have to let Seth rest quietly or leave.

"You know what this means, right?" said Seth, "They're coming for you next, Dean."

"Let 'em," said Dean, lifting his chin insolently, "With all their fancy suits, and their shiny cars, and their corporate empires, they still don't have anything that can stop Dean Ambrose."

Seth smiled up at him and nodded. Roman had released Seth's hand, but Dean had not. There was a sort of endearing familiarity in the way the boys looked after each other. Carly guessed it had long since been a habit, what with the risk the Shield always put themselves at.

"How long do I have to stay here, anyway?" Seth asked.

"Just until they're sure your skull is as thick as Carly's," Roman grinned.

"Very funny," Carly wrinkled her nose at him, "But seriously, guys, I'll make you a deal. I'll try not to pull any excessively reckless heroics if you'll do the same. Alright?"

"You got it, princess," said Roman.

"No arguments here," said Seth, gingerly feeling the bump on his head.

"I don't think you can manage it, Carly," Dean said as looked back at her skeptically.

"Your confidence in me is very reassuring," Carly sulked.

**(Note: Thank you for reading, and thank you to the lovely people who left reviews!)**


	8. Mind Games

**Mind Games**

"Now if you bunch of goldfish could manage to focus on something for five seconds, I have an announcement to make," said Triple H.

"I'm guessing it's that he ran out of insults, and he wants to hire somebody to come up with better ones," said Dean.

"Maybe he's going to apologize for those stupid-looking Evolution t-shirts," Carly suggested.

"Shh!" Seth feigned annoyance, "We're gonna miss his big announcement."

Dean, Seth, Roman, and Carly sat backstage at the arena while Triple H was speaking down in the ring. The spectators did not seem to appreciate the insult, and the "Hounds of Justice" chant that had been going on dissolved into booing. Triple H and Randy Orton didn't appear to mind the negativity. Quite to the contrary, it brought smiles to their faces. Batista didn't look happy, but then again, he never did. Maybe that was just his face.

"Tonight," said Triple H, "We're going to have a Cincinnati street fight between the Viper, Randy Orton-"

A loud and decidedly mixed reaction followed that name, but Carly was pleased to note that it was mostly boo-ing.

"And Dean Ambrose," Triple H finished, "Since this is your hometown, Dean, I'm sure this is something you'll enjoy."

Dean grinned, rubbing his hands together. Carly noticed that Seth and Roman did not look nearly as enthusiastic. Frankly, she couldn't blame them. The last two encounters with members of Evolution had ended in injuries for both of them. Roman's shoulder at least was mostly healed, if still a little sore, but Seth wasn't cleared to compete yet. Hopefully their interference wouldn't be necessary. But if the past few weeks were any indication, the chances of that being the case were slim at best.

"Now, I know you're all thinking 'but this isn't going to be a fair fight!'" Triple H continued, raising his voice in a whiny, mocking tone, "So I'm hereby banning myself and Batista from ringside. But don't get any funny ideas, Dean. I'm also going to ban Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, just to keep us all honest."

Triple H ended with a derisive laugh. The crowd was less than pleased to find that they would be deprived of two-thirds of the Shield. When the reaction had ebbed a bit, Randy Orton took the microphone.

"I'll be looking forward to seeing what you're made of Dean," he said, "And one more thing. Even though your _brothers _won't be able to help you out, Carly is more than welcome to join us."

Randy looked into the camera with a leering grin a moment longer before Evolution's music began to play. Carly and the Shield glanced at each other in confusion.

"Well, this is obviously a trap," Carly said finally, "Or the weirdest proposition I've ever received."

"I don't like the look of it either. I get the feeling they want a little payback for what we pulled on Orton and Batista last week," Roman shook his head, "What do you think, Seth?"

"Whatever the plan ends up being," Dean interrupted, raising his hand, "I vote that it involves me getting to kick Randy's teeth right out of his stupid face."

"Of course," said Seth, ruffling Dean's hair, "The question is, is Trips trying to trick us into sending Carly out there with you, or keeping her with me and Roman?"

"Trying to figure out what Triple H is thinking is some serious Princess-Bride-iocane-powder level stuff," said Roman, "There's no way we're gonna know."

"Right," said Seth, "So I say we just pick one or the other, and then make some kind of contingency plans for anything that could go wrong."

"I vote we keep Carly with me and Seth,' said Roman, "She'll be safer."

"Why not let her come ringside with me?" Dean asked, "Show the stuffed shirts they haven't got us running scared."

"What do you think, Carly?" said Seth, "I mean, the choice is ultimately up to you."

Carly pursed her lips. Even a vague non-threat like that should be taken seriously when it came from Randy Orton.

"Knowing Triple H, he probably has back-up plans to sabotage the match no matter what we decide to do," said Carly, "But in my opinion, I prefer to walk into a trap with my eyes open, if I have to walk into one at all. I'll watch from ringside."

"I don't like it, but you're probably right," said Roman.

"But Dean, do you think you can handle this?" asked Carly.

"Your confidence in me is very reassuring," said Dean, raising his eyebrows and leveling his gaze at her, "Sweetheart, I can handle Randy Orton any day of the week. I'm surprised you don't know that by now."

"That's not what I mean," said Carly, "I know you can take him in a fight. I'm just worried about your ability to focus if he goes after me to psych you out. You know he's going to."

"Carly," said Dean with an irritatingly confident smirk, "I will be focused like a laser. Promise. Cross my heart and hope to make the creampuff cry."

Roman raised an eyebrow skeptically, and Dean's confidence slouched into an annoyed grimace.

"I don't appreciate what you're insinuating, Roman," said Dean, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a match to get ready for."

With a haughty lift of his chin, Dean strutted off. Seth sighed and shook his head, smiling bemusedly.

"Don't worry, Carly," he said, "If we have to interfere and bail you out, it won't be a problem. Street fight rules don't allow disqualifications, remember."

"You two be careful, whatever happens, alright?" Carly said earnestly, "I don't want you guys getting hurt again when you just started to heal up."

"We promise, princess," said Seth.

"Let's hope we won't have to get involved in the first place," said Roman, "Dean sorta has two settings when it comes to fights. It's either a controlled burn, or a nuclear meltdown. Maybe he'll stick with the first one. Hey, don't give me that look, Seth. It _could _happen."

xXx

Apparently, they'd gone with a baseball theme in honor of the Cincinnati Reds. Among the paraphernalia was a concession-stand style kiosk covered in bags of popcorn and peanuts, and a rack of baseball bats. A section of chain-link fence formed into a backstop covered one corner of the ring.

Carly paced distractedly. She knew this was going to be a rough match to watch, regardless of whether or not she became an unwilling participant. With no disqualifications and all these potential weapons available, this was going to be solid chaos and violence. Dean was going to be in his element. Unfortunately, so was Randy Orton. Carly couldn't help but remember what Roman had said about Dean getting overzealous in his protectiveness. She was sure Dean would be less likely to go overboard protecting her than if it was his brothers in danger, but still. If Randy managed to get inside Dean's head, there was going to be trouble.

The Shield's music started up, and every head in the arena turned to look for Dean Ambrose walking through the audience. The ring announcer made sure to note that Cincinnati was his hometown, earning some extra cheering on top of the already overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception.

xXx

"_Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. And what a main event we have for you here tonight: a Cincinnati street fight between the Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose, and the Viper, Randy Orton."_

"_Both of these men are what you might call 'eccentric', so this is sure to be one heck of a brawl."_

"_You can say that again. Watching from ringside will be Carly Caden, the Shield's manager, who is evidently unconcerned by the rather strange invitation Randy Orton made earlier tonight."_

"_What do you mean, 'strange'? You make it sound like Randy Orton has some kind of ulterior motive."_

"_I'm just questioning why he should care at all where she is during the match. Carly Caden has been called the Rebel Princess because of her crusade against the Authority. As part of Evolution, Randy Orton is on the Authority's side. It doesn't take a genius to figure this out."_

"_You're right. It doesn't take a genius to spout wild conspiracy theories."_

xXx

"Nice playground they got set up," said Dean, surveying the ring.

"Do you even like baseball?" asked Carly.

"I like baseball _bats_," Dean grinned impishly, "Don't you worry about me, princess. Look at these hands. Steady as a rock."

"Just make sure you stay that way," said Carly, "And stay _focused_, alright? No matter what happens. I don't want to have to watch you get hurt by that posturing lout."

"I never knew you cared, sweetheart," Dean said with a devilish wink, "I'll be sure to break off a piece of him for you."

Carly rolled her eyes as Dean got into the ring. Randy was making his entrance to a mostly nonplussed reaction. Dean paced eagerly in the ring, itching for the fight to begin, as Randy stood on the ropes to make his stupid look-at-me pose. Seeing them, just the two of them, together in the ring like that, it suddenly struck Carly that Randy was significantly bigger than Dean. Carly took a deep breath and tried to position herself in a place outside potential lines of fire.

xXx

"_And Dean Ambrose taking control of this match right off the bat, as it were."_

"_Street fights were made for men like these two. Guys who don't know when to quit, and are just crazy enough to get creative."_

"_Oh! Ambrose sending Orton right into that chain-link backstop, and viciously continuing to slam Orton's face into it. But an elbow from Orton creates enough space for him to escape and roll out of the ring."_

xXx

Dean hopped down out of the ring, following Randy as the Viper dragged himself along on his stomach. Dean seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. His gaze landed on the concession stand. He swaggered over to it, picked up a bag of peanuts, and made his way back to Randy in no apparent hurry.

As he passed Carly, Dean offered her a handful of the peanuts. Carly accepted them with a reproachful look. Dean just smirked.

"I'm focused, I'm focused," he said.

Dean returned to where Randy was still facedown on the floor. He forcefully drove his knee into Randy's back, and then proceeded to try to shove handfuls of the peanuts into Randy's mouth, shouting something that Carly could not make out over the cheering of the crowd.

So far, things were going well, but Carly knew better than to be relieved just yet. Still, at least she had a snack now. Carly began shelling and eating the peanuts. She wondered if it would be in poor taste to go over and grab herself a bag of popcorn.

Dean had pulled Randy to his feet, and was setting up to throw him headfirst into the barricade. Randy countered, flipping Dean into the seats. Carly cringed inwardly. Now things were going to get messy.

Carly was too far away to see exactly what was happening, but she could tell that Randy was thrashing Dean left, right, and center through the audience. They didn't get into the upper sections, thankfully. Randy drove Dean back around to ringside. Dean rallied suddenly, shoving Randy so he hit the barricade spine first. With a punch to the jaw, Dean knocked him head over heels back over the barricade.

Unfortunately, the time it took for Dean to hop the wall was just enough for Randy to regroup. He assaulted Dean savagely, driving him past the announcers' table and dumping him into the timekeeper's area. Randy paused, seemingly to catch his breath. Then, he turned his eyes to Carly.

That unsettling, abhorrent grin spread across his face. He glanced over his shoulder once at Dean, and began to walk towards her. Carly stood her ground. She wasn't about to let this creep know just how much being in close proximity to him made her skin crawl. Also, it wouldn't do to let Dean see her get upset. If he was supposed to stay level-headed and focused, she was going to as well.

"Carly," Randy greeted her.

"Mr. Orton," she said flatly.

"Are you enjoying the match?" he asked.

As he spoke, Randy put an arm around Carly's shoulders. Carly stayed stone-faced, though repulsed by any physical contact coming from _him_.

"Get away from me now," she ordered.

She could see Dean getting to his feet, stumbling out of the timekeeper's area. He spotted her and Randy, and his expression hardened. With all her might, Carly willed him to focus, to keep it together.

"What's the matter? Don't you enjoy my company?" said Randy, "You've been hanging around those dogs for too long."

Randy reached over to brush his fingers against Carly's cheek. It took all of her resolve not to scratch his eyes out then and there.

"I will break all of your fingers, one by one," she said evenly.

"Will you?" said Randy, "Uh-oh, looks like your boy is getting upset."

Dean stood facing them, glaring daggers at Randy. His shoulders trembled with fury. Carly shook her head at him, silently pleading for him to stay calm. Randy laughed.

Keeping his eyes locked with Dean's, Randy slowly leaned his face down beside Carly's, inching closer, slowly inclining his head, and even more slowly kissing her on the neck. Carly could feel the sadistic smile on his lips, and it turned her stomach. Even worse, she knew, with a sinking feeling, that this was the last straw for the Lunatic Fringe.

Carly saw the instant something snapped behind Dean's eyes. With a roar of rage, he charged at Randy. Randy sidestepped him, knocking Carly to the ground and letting Dean run himself headfirst into the concession stand. Before Dean had a chance to recover, Randy kicked him in the head.

Dean collapsed, insensible. Randy grabbed the back of his shirt, dragging him back to the ring and throwing him inside. While Dean lay motionless, Randy took a chair from the timekeeper's area and tossed it into the ring as well. Then, he began fishing around for something under the ring. Carly watched with equal parts confusion and horror as she saw him hold up a roll of duct tape. Randy set to work taping one of Dean's wrists to the bottom rope.

xXx

"_What is Randy Orton up to now?"_

"_Looks like the Viper is setting up to teach Dean Ambrose a lesson."_

"_We're seeing shades of the torment Orton once visited on Triple H years ago. If Carly knows what's good for her, she better run."_

xXx

Randy finished as Dean was starting to recover. He dropped the roll of tape, and turned back to Carly. She had the feeling she was about to find out exactly why he'd wanted her out here for this match.

"You stay away from me!" she ordered, but Randy kept advancing towards her.

Carly turned to flee, but she didn't get very far. She tripped over one of the camera cables, which gave Randy enough time to catch up to her. He grabbed a fistful of her hair.

"Oh no you don't," he laughed, "You know what they say: turnabout is fair play."

Carly scratched at his arms, struggling to free herself, but to no avail. Randy dragged her up the steps and pulled her through the ropes into the center of the ring. He yanked her head back so she could see that they were facing Dean. Realization struck Dean as he watched helplessly with enraged and panicked eyes.

"No!" he yelled, desperately trying to get loose.

As Randy stepped slightly in front of Carly, reaching his arms back around her head, she knew what was coming.

xXx

"_RKO! And Dean Ambrose is powerless to come to Carly's rescue."_

"_Looks like this was Randy Orton's plan all along."_

"_Unfortunately, this is all legal, and with the rest of the Shield banned from ringside, Carly Caden and Dean Ambrose are in serious trouble."_

xXx

Carly dimly felt Randy grab her by the hair once more and pull her upright so she was kneeling in the ring. As her vision cleared, she could see Dean frantically biting and tearing at the tape around his wrist. Randy crouched behind her, wrapping an arm across her neck to hold her in place.

"What's the matter, Ambrose?" he taunted, "Did I strike a nerve?'

Dean lunged forward, straining against the rope. Randy was just out of reach. Dean kept struggling, completely given over to a crazed frenzy. Carly had never seen him like this in such close proximity. It was like watching a star go nova. She could almost feel the confidence and high spirits that usually kept Dean grounded shattering, exploding outward, leaving him with only raw madness.

"You get your filthy hands off her!" Dean snarled, "I'll kill you. I swear to God, I'll rip your throat out with my bare hands!"

Randy laughed mockingly. The simmering hatred Carly felt towards him suddenly boiled over, scalding the insides of her ribs. Randy Orton thought he had the mad dog chained, did he? Well, it was about time he learned that the Hounds of Justice weren't the only ones who knew how to bite back. Carly grabbed his arm and bit down hard. Randy roared in pain, trying to shake her off, but Carly just bit down all the harder. Randy staggered to his feet. He finally managed to free his arm and threw Carly down.

Carly tried to drag herself away. She cried out as Randy stomped down onto her knee, wrenching it sideways and grinding it into the mat. He stomped on it again, and the pain forced Carly to a halt. As she lay on the mat, she saw Randy walk over to pick up the steel chair. He walked slowly back towards her, glowering. Carly scrambled to crawl toward the edge of the ring.

But, to her horror, Carly saw that Randy had thrown her into the corner that was blocked off by the chain-link fence. There was no way out. Even if she could manage to stand, there was no way she'd be able to get past him. Randy stood over her, raising the chair to strike. Carly turned away to let the blow land on her back.

Instead of a chair, however, Carly felt a body collide with hers. Dean, who had somehow gotten free, threw himself across Carly's back just as the blow fell. Carly felt the vicious hit thud through Dean's body. He groaned in pain, putting his arms around her and continuing to shield her as Randy struck him again. This was bad. This was very bad. Now they were both trapped, and Carly was certain Randy would take full advantage of the opportunity to batter Dean's unprotected back.

"Dean, no!" said Carly, "Get out of here!"

"Not a chance," Dean said through gritted teeth as he was struck a third time.

Carly felt Dean tense up, waiting for the next blow to fall, but it never did. She heard the audience suddenly break into wild cheers. Dean released Carly, and they both turned just in time to see Seth and Roman slide into the ring. Randy had dropped the chair. He was facing Seth and Roman, shouting at the ref to do something. Suddenly taking advantage of the situation, Dean leapt to his feet and seized Randy, hitting him with Dirty Deeds.

"Street fight rules! No disqualifications!" Seth taunted the annoyed referee, in the same tone a small child would say 'I'm not touching you!'

As soon as Dean made his move, Roman ran to help Carly, carrying her to the base of the ramp. Carly cast a worried glance back at Dean. He seemed unable to keep still, his eyes fixed on Randy as if he was ready to tear him apart. That air of madness still hung around him.

"Don't worry about Dean," said Roman, "Seth'll take care of him."

"Dean? Dean, stay with me, man. Focus," said Seth, taking Dean's face in his hands, "We got Carly. She's safe. You just worry about finishing the match. You got this, alright?"

Dean nodded. Seth clapped him on the shoulder and slipped out of the ring to join Carly and Roman. Roman had set Carly down on the floor and let her lean back against him. She was still a little dizzy from that RKO.

"You alright, Carly?" asked Seth.

"Well, my knee sure wasn't meant to bend that way," Carly said wryly.

Back in the ring, Dean had been looking at the still downed Randy Orton with a calculating expression. A smirk spread across Dean's face. He jumped out of the ring and made his way to the rack of baseball bats. Selecting one, he got back into the ring just as Randy was starting to stand.

"Come on, Randy! Come on!" Dean yelled, gesturing for him to get up as he readied the bat.

Randy's back was to Dean. He got to his feet and turned just as Dean swung away.

xXx

"_And Dean Ambrose nearly takes Orton's head off with that swing!"_

"_Would you call that a home-run?"_

"_I would if I was the Shield. Ambrose is laying into Orton's back with that baseball bat, returning the favor for those chair shots earlier. Orton is down, but it doesn't look like Ambrose is going for the cover. No, Ambrose is locking in a submission hold, a Regal Stretch, to add insult to injury for Orton!"_

xXx

"I'm not gonna let you off the hook that easily, Randy," Dean growled as Randy struggled, "I'm not letting go. You're gonna tap out, you bastard. You're gonna tap out, or so help me, I'm gonna tear your arm right out of its socket."

xXx

"_Ambrose turning Orton every which way but loose… and Orton taps! Dean Ambrose wins!"_

xXx

The arena exploded with cheering. Dean released the hold, pausing a moment to spit at Randy before raising his arms in victory. Seth bolted into the ring. He threw himself at Dean in an enthusiastic embrace, which Dean returned with equal fervor. Carly exhaled slowly, feeling at ease for the first time all night. Dean had done it. Well, more or less. He'd won, but regardless of what he'd said, he still let Randy get into his head.


	9. Pressure Point

**Pressure Point**

Carly readjusted the ice-pack on her knee. The medic had determined that it was in fact sprained, and recommended that she ice it before heading back to the hotel for the night. Seth and Roman stayed with her while they waited for the medics to clear Dean.

"How are you doing?" Seth asked.

"I need mouthwash. Or bleach. Really anything to get that taste out of my mouth. That was the most vile, disgusting thing I've ever done," Carly grimaced.

Roman shook his head, grinning incredulously, "I still can't believe you actually bit Randy Orton's arm. You don't know where that thing's been."

"Don't remind me," Carly groaned.

At that moment, Dean strutted in, still keyed up from the match and looking pleased as punch at his victory.

"If I bruised his pride half as bad as I bruised his stupid-looking face, Randy's not gonna shake this one off anytime soon," he said.

Seth and Roman chuckled in agreement. Carly wished she could share Dean's enthusiasm, but she was still annoyed. Oddly enough, it had less to do with the fact that she'd been RKO'd and more to do with the way Dean had blatantly ignored her advice.

"You're awfully proud of yourself," Carly said, narrowing her eyes at him, "Considering the way you literally ran headlong into a trap."

Dean's eyebrows arched in surprise. Seth and Roman glanced at each other, electing to stay out of the argument. This was one fight that would be far better for them to observe than to risk getting caught in the line of fire. Carly knew she should be glad that Dean had managed to get through his trial-by-fire unscathed, but it could've so easily gone the other way that she wasn't about to let him off the hook.

"By my reckoning, I still won," said Dean.

"True, but not before you ignored everything I told you, completely lost control, and got yourself duct-taped to the ropes," said Carly.

"You expect me to stand there and do nothing? You expect me to let that psychotic scumbag get away with stuff like that?" Dean folded his arms, glaring at Carly.

"He was being creepy," Carly sighed in exasperation, "It's Randy Orton. I expected it, and I can handle it myself."

"But you weren't handling it," said Dean, leaning over Carly to point in her face, "You were just standing there."

"I was trying to keep _you _from flying off the handle. I told you not to worry about me," said Carly.

"He shouldn't touch you like that," said Dean.

"You started losing it the second he put his arm around me," Carly snapped, "What's the big deal? You do that to me all the time!"

"But I stop when you tell me to! He didn't stop!" Dean yelled.

Carly was taken aback by the ferocity of Dean's sudden outburst. What a weird thing to get that worked up about. It's not like Orton had been hurting her, at least not at that point. Dean held her gaze for a moment before straightening up and looking away.

"He didn't stop," Dean muttered, "You don't treat a woman that way, I don't care who you are. He shouldn't touch you like that. It's not right."

Carly watched him in confusion. Chivalry? That's what this was all about? So that whole mess had been Dean's way of being a gentleman. To be honest, Dean Ambrose was the _last _person Carly expected that sort of behavior from. But it made sense the more that she thought about it. If Dean was going express protective concern for somebody, he _would _do so with impetuous violence. Roman stood and went to Dean, putting a hand on his shoulder. The contact seemed to pull most of the rage from Dean's darkened expression.

"Hey, go get changed, alright?" Roman said gently, "Then we can all get out of here."

Dean nodded and walked off in the direction of the locker room.

"Go easy on Dean," Seth said, as soon as he was out of sight, "I mean, it was his fault, but try not to stay mad for too long."

"I was gonna say, that was actually a pretty big improvement for him," said Roman, looking at Seth.

"What do you mean?" asked Carly.

Talk about being damned by faint praise. Under what circumstances could 'going off half-cocked, resulting in getting your friend RKO'd and yourself beaten with a chair' be considered an improvement? Seth and Roman were silent for a moment. They glanced at each other significantly before speaking.

"You didn't know Dean back when we started out," said Seth, "He was… different then. He's still himself. I mean, he's still Dean Ambrose. I don't think he could be anything else, but… I guess you could say he had a chip on his shoulder."

"He was the man with the mission" said Roman, "He's the one who brought the three of us together. All that fighting for honor and justice stuff, that was his idea. Without Dean Ambrose, there would be no Shield. I still don't know how he did it. I don't know how he managed to convince us to work together. But you know him, Carly. If there's something Dean has in spades, it's drive. It's charisma."

"He had it rough growing up," Seth said, "I won't go into the details. That's his place to tell you, not ours. But anybody could see that it scarred him pretty good. He didn't care what happened to him. He didn't care if he got hurt, and he definitely wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone who got in his way. And he didn't smile. I mean, he _smiled_, but there was nothing behind it. It was like there was just this void inside him, and all he had was this pain and the drive to lash out at anything that struck him as unjust."

"But after fighting alongside us, he started to change," said Roman, smiling faintly, "He seemed happy. Like, actually happy about life and everything. He started cracking jokes and singing before we'd go out for matches. And he started trusting us, and caring about us. He laid himself on the line for _us_, not just for his mission. That's when we started seeing each other as brothers."

"And I think we're all better men because of it, sappy as that may sound," said Seth.

"He still isn't too good at trusting people," said Roman, "Which is why we were surprised that he took such a shine to you, Carly."

"And he really didn't like you when you first came here. I mean he _really_… but that isn't the point," Seth hurried on when he noticed Carly's nonplussed expression.

"The point is," said Roman, "There's a reason Randy used you to get at Dean. You're a pressure point for him, just like me and Seth are."

"Dean trusts you, Carly, and that's a big deal coming from him," said Seth, "He cares about you. I mean, we think he-"

"Seth," Roman interrupted warningly.

Seth immediately broke off and looked apologetically at Roman. Well, that wasn't suspicious or anything. Carly glanced between the two of them. It wasn't like them to be evasive.

"What it all boils down to," said Seth, "Is that Dean's come a long way, but you still gotta be patient with him."

"Especially when he starts acting like a fool," said Roman.

"Or gets you RKO'd," Carly added, deadpan.

"Or gets you RKO'd," Roman repeated with a sympathetic wince.

"Hey, what are you guys sitting around looking all serious for?" said Dean, sticking his head in the door, "Come on, let's get out of here."

xXx

Carly was beyond ready to turn in for the night. She'd brushed her teeth twice and gargled the entirety of a little travel-size bottle of mouthwash trying to rid herself of the memory of biting Randy Orton's arm. She had just changed from her work clothes into a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt (Shield merchandise, naturally) when she heard a knock on the door of her hotel room.

It was Dean. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, seeming unable to make eye contact.

"Can I, uh… Can I come in?" he asked.

"Sure," said Carly, mystified.

She opened the door a little wider to let him walk past. What a range of emotions she'd seen in Dean today. Everything from smug confidence to berserker rage, and now this. He spoke to her over his shoulder as he walked further in.

"I just wanted to check on you," he said "Y'know, to make sure you were alright after what happened."

"I'm fine, Dean," said Carly.

That couldn't be the whole reason he was here. Dean knew she was alright, minus the sprained knee. They'd all come back to the hotel in the same car, after all. She followed him into the room. Dean turned, still not quite looking at her.

"I know that. There was something else I-" Dean broke off suddenly as he noticed her limping, "Wait a minute. You're hurt. You shouldn't be walking around. Why aren't you in bed?"

Dean brushed past Carly. He went to the bed and began turning down the covers.

"Well, I was about go to bed, but then you came over?" Carly said. Somehow the statement ended up a question.

"Don't make excuses," Dean called over his shoulder.

Carly laughed in spite of herself. Somehow, Dean Ambrose managed to make a stunning lack of self-awareness into an endearing character trait. He tossed the extra pillows aside and walked back to Carly, taking her arm.

"Dean, what are you doing?" Carly asked exasperatedly as Dean pulled her along and sat her down on the bed.

"That's a sprained knee," he said, "You aren't supposed to walk around on it. Come on."

"Walking across a hotel room isn't going to make it worse," protested Carly.

"Don't argue," said Dean, "You need to rest. Doctor's orders."

"Roman is right," Carly said drily, "Your bedside manner _does _need work."

"Yeah, well, it'd help if you weren't such stubborn patients," said Dean.

He took her by the shoulders and firmly pushed her back onto the pillow. Carly watched him with confusion that bordered on amusement. Apparently Dean was trying to take care her. This was decidedly odd, since Dean was the one who typically needed looking after. He pulled the covers over her and straightened up, pointing a finger down at her authoritatively.

"Now go to sleep," he ordered.

"Alright, Dean," said Carly, biting back a bemused smile.

Dean took a few steps towards the door, then turned back.

"Do you need a glass of water?" he asked.

"Already got one," said Carly, pointing to the nightstand.

"Oh. Alright, good."

Dean took another step, then paused again.

"Want me to tell you a bedtime story?" he said.

"What?" Carly's eyebrows arched in surprise, "Dean, I'm a little concerned about what would happen in one of your stories."

"No, it's cool. It'll be good, I promise," said Dean, "Give me a minute, I'll think of something."

Dean stretched himself out on his stomach next to Carly, gathering a few of the extra pillows and propping himself up on his elbows. His face was a picture of concentration. Carly had no idea what to make of this. It was impossible to understand what had possessed Dean to come here and start fussing over her all of a sudden. But then again, it was pretty impossible to understand what motivated Dean Ambrose to do anything. Maybe this was his way of apologizing. She might as well humor him. It was an odd situation, but Carly was surprised to find it was not an entirely unpleasant one.

"Ok, I've got it," Dean said finally, "Once upon a time, there were three soldiers. Knights. They were knights. This is a fairy tale."

"Oh boy," Carly sighed.

"Shut up, I'm talking," said Dean.

Carly giggled. Dean was so serious about this, it was impossible to take him seriously. She rolled onto her side to face him and settled in to listen.

"There were these three knights," Dean continued, "The first one was also a ninja. The second one was probably a superhero, we never found out for sure. And the third one was charming, charismatic, incredibly handsome…"

Dean glanced over at Carly and grinned. She rolled her eyes, but didn't interrupt.

"Anyway, the third knight decided that the three of them should team up and go off into the world to fight injustice, which they did. But somewhere along the way, the knights sorta lost sight of that mission. They got hired by an evil king to do his dirty work, and they did everything the evil king told them to. What's worse is they enjoyed doing it. But eventually the knights realized that they'd become a force of injustice, so they decided to rebel against the evil king and take him down."

That was interesting. Until today, Carly never really heard the Shield address the fact that, in their early days, some of the action they took in the name of "justice" was a little suspect. But Dean almost looked ashamed when he mentioned losing sight of their mission.

"Now the evil king was married to an evil queen. They said she was the daughter of the devil himself," Dean went on, "But the devil had another daughter, a princess, little did the king or queen or anybody else know. And about the same time as the knights turned against the king, the princess came to live at the castle. Nobody wanted her there, least of all the queen. But the queen couldn't get rid of her, because the devil liked the princess more than he liked her. So the king and queen put the princess to work fighting against the knights. Well, the knights didn't like that, and they didn't like the princess very much either. Nobody really knew why the princess would work for the evil king and queen. The people said the princess didn't have a heart, but maybe they'd just put her under a spell that made her heart stop working, I dunno.

"One day, everything was going wrong for the knights. With the princess's help, the evil king cornered the first knight (he's the ninja, remember) and beat him half to death in an unfair fight. Just as the king was about to finish him off, something revived the princess's dark, cold heart, and she knew she had to save the knight. She turned against the king and struck him down. Now that gave the knight time to get to safety, but the king swore he'd get revenge on the princess."

Strangely enough, Carly found herself enjoying listening the story. Dean Ambrose, of all people, was spinning reality into a fairytale. And it was interesting to hear his perspective on everything. Carly hadn't really thought of herself as _heartless_ back then, but that's how she must have seemed to the Shield.

"The queen still couldn't get rid of the princess," said Dean, "But to punish her for what she did, the queen ordered three of her minions to torture the princess. If the princess tried to run away, the first knight would get banished from the kingdom. Now the second knight, the superhero – yeah, I know you know. Be quiet, Carly, I'm trying to tell a story here. Anyway, because the princess risked her life to save the first knight, the second knight was convinced that she really was good, in her heart y'know, and told the other two that they had to do something to help her. The first knight agreed right away. The third knight wasn't completely sold on the princess yet, but he agreed, too.

"So the knights offered to rescue the princess, but she wouldn't let them. Said she wouldn't do anything to risk the first knight getting banished, which was noble of her, but not very smart. So when the time came, the princess handed herself over to the evil queen's minions. The knights waited 'til the queen's orders were carried out, just like the princess asked them to, before they chased the minions off. But by that time, the princess was hurt pretty bad. And the third knight-"

Dean broke off suddenly, clearing his throat. When he started speaking again, his tone had softened.

"And when the third knight saw just how brave, how _stupidly_ brave the princess was, he knew she really was one of the good guys, and he wanted to do whatever he could to protect her. From the evil king and queen, I mean. But anyway, the princess decided to join the three knights, and did everything she could to help them out. It didn't hurt that she was protected by the devil himself. Eventually, they were able to banish the evil queen, but there was still the king to worry about.

"The evil king called up his two henchmen. One was a monster called the Animal, and the other was a sick, slithering snake called the Viper. And both of them were really ugly. The knights and the princess fought hard against the king and his henchmen. Once, the Viper even got his hands on the princess, which wasn't even a little bit alright, and he hurt her while the third knight was trapped and forced to watch, which was even less alright, and the knight just wanted to take the Viper and kick the fangs out of his stupid smug face and-"

Dean paused again, trying to relax his hands from the stranglehold they'd had on the pillow. He'd gotten a little worked up during that last part. He took a deep breath, shook his head as if to clear it, and went on.

"But everything was okay, in the end," he said, "Because the first knight and the second knight saved the princess, and the third knight got to beat the hell out of the snake. And eventually, with the princess's help, the third knight pulled out the Viper's fangs and tied him in about a dozen knots so he couldn't slither up on anybody ever again, the second knight overpowered the Animal and beat him half to death and put him in a cage and sent him to the zoo where he belongs, and the first knight tricked the evil king and stole the throne right out from under him. And then there was peace in the kingdom, and the knights and the princess lived happily ever after. The end. Now what are you smiling at me like that for?"

Carly hadn't even realized that she _was_ smiling.

"It was a good story, Dean," she said.

"Yeah, well," Dean grinned sheepishly and looked down.

For a moment there was silence. Dean fiddled with the seam of one of the pillows. Something was still on his mind, clearly, but Carly knew better than to try to force anything out of him. She waited. Dean sighed, then looked over at her remorsefully.

"I messed up, Carly," he said, "I let you get hurt. No, no it's worse than that. You got hurt _because _of what I did. I just got so mad 'cause I wanted to protect you, and I screwed everything up. I'm sorry."

Dean looked away again, resting his chin on his folded arms. Carly didn't quite know what to say. She nearly spouted reassuring clichés to the effect of saying it wasn't his fault, but she knew Dean wouldn't have any of that nonsense. It wouldn't make him feel better, anyway. Instead, she reached over and ruffled his hair gently, like Seth or Roman would've, the sandy curls soft beneath her fingers. The touch brought a faint smile to Dean's lips.

"I'm alright, Dean," said Carly, "I've been through worse than this. I wasn't mad at you because _I_ got hurt. I was upset that _you _almost did."

"You really were that worried about me?" said Dean. He looked surprised by the thought, and his voice was almost timid.

"You idiot, of course I was," Carly said fondly.

"Well, I'm sorry for that, too," said Dean, looking down again.

Carly laid her hand on top of his.

"I forgive you, if you forgive me for yelling at you," she said, "And if you promise to try to keep your head on straight in the future. No matter what happens."

"Promise," said Dean.

"Thank you for the story, Dean," said Carly, smiling.

"You're welcome. Now," said Dean, switching back to the officious tone he'd used earlier, "I prescribed rest, and I haven't let you get any. So I should probably actually let you get some sleep. Goodnight, princess."

He took her hand and kissed it. Without another word, Dean got up, turned off the lights, and left the room. Carly rolled onto her back, gingerly straightening her stiff, aching knee.

Well, that was weird. The fact that Dean Ambrose had just told her a bedtime story, let alone a fairytale, was odd enough. The fact that he had gotten so worked up over wanting to protect her from Randy Orton was beyond comprehension. Well, it _would _have been beyond comprehension, before that conversation she'd had with Seth and Roman.

She'd seen Dean beat men senseless. She'd seen him fly into a rage at the drop of a hat. Sometimes she was convinced that he'd even drop the hat himself just so he could fly into a rage. They called him the Lunatic Fringe for good reason. Dean Ambrose could be a rough, erratic, violent man.

But whenever he was with his brothers, he was loyal and kind, even loving. And whenever he touched her, whenever his lips pressed against her cheek or forehead or hand, he was only gentle. Carly sighed resignedly and closed her eyes. Perhaps it wasn't possible to ever truly know Dean Ambrose. And, perhaps that was alright.

**(Note: Thank you to the lovely people who left feedback!)**


	10. Retribution

**Retribution **

"Okay, let me see if I've got this," said Carly, rubbing her forehead, "It's the Monday before Extreme Rules, and Evolution wants to take you on in a six-man tag-team match, despite the fact that you've already beaten them at that game?"

Seth threw up his hands and shrugged.

"I don't get it either," he said, "What are they gonna do that they haven't already?"

"Win?" said Dean, "Not that they're going to. But that's gotta be the end goal for them, y'know?'

"I don't like it," Roman shook his head, "It's too quiet. No crazy stipulations, nobody talking at all. It's weird."

Carly wasn't particularly thrilled about the situation either. It didn't exactly make her worried. It was confusing, more than anything. And if Seth was stumped, that meant it had to be a conundrum.

"The usual battle plan, then?" asked Dean.

"I guess," Seth said dubiously, "Go in there and stay alert so we don't get caught off-guard again. I don't know, man. This is just _weird_."

The distinct ordinariness of their entire evening had the Shield feeling off balance. For some reason, tensions were running high for everyone but them and Evolution. It was almost like Triple H had given up on targeting the Shield. But that couldn't be right.

Carly made her usual reconnaissance rounds and returned to the Shield empty-handed. None of her sources had anything to report. The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was that nothing was out of the ordinary. The whole situation would've been boring if it wasn't so baffling.

Carly and the Shield just hung around backstage as the hours went by. Dean paced, Seth looked pensive, Roman sat there with his head leaned back against the wall. Nobody was terribly inclined to talk. Maybe Evolution's plan was to lull them into a false sense of apathy.

The sound of quickly approaching footsteps caught Carly's attention and roused the boys from their collective stupor. Paige was hurrying down the hallway towards them. She looked worried. Carly got to her feet.

"Carly, I need your help," Paige said, "Can you come with me?"

"What's wrong?" asked Carly.

"Anything we can help with?" asked Roman, looking as though he'd welcome any sort of break in the monotony.

"No, it's nothing we can't handle," said Paige, "And you three have a match to get ready for."

"Right. How could we forget?" Dean said drily.

"I better go handle this," said Carly, "If I don't see you before the match, good luck!"

She hurried to follow Paige. Paige was looking around nervously, as if she was afraid they were being followed.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" Carly asked.

"It's Natalya," said Paige, "She heard that the Authority is going to come down on her for helping you. She was afraid to come into the arena, so she asked me to bring you out here to talk to her."

Paige led Carly out into the parking lot. After everything being too normal so far, this was almost too hard a swing in the opposite direction. Natalya, afraid? That didn't sound right at all. She had been so sure of herself, so confident in her defiance. Just as Carly was about to turn to ask Paige for clarification, she realized her mistake.

Eva Marie, Alicia Fox, and Rosa Mendez materialized from behind a tour bus. Carly stopped dead in her tracks. Stupid, rookie mistake. She couldn't believe she'd fallen for it.

"Paige-Turner, huh?" Carly said wryly, "How appropriate."

"It's nothing personal. I'm just taking care of business," said Paige with a thin smile.

"What a high opinion you must have of yourself," Rosa sneered at Carly, "Running off alone because you actually thought somebody would come to you for help."

"And before you start thinking that Stephanie went back on her promise-" said Eva Marie.

"Triple H sent you," Carly finished slowly.

"Aww, so you aren't as dumb as you look," Alicia tilted her head and smiled mockingly.

A heavy feeling of dread filled Carly. So that was the plan. Evolution wasn't going after the Shield at all. They were going after _her_. She should've seen it coming, but she hadn't even considered the possibility. She wasn't actually part of the Shield. She didn't fit anywhere into the three-on-three or variations of one-on-one competition between them and Evolution. But she had been there trying to thwart their plans every step of the way. Evolution had systematically made examples of all three members of the Shield, and tonight, it was Carly's turn.

She had the sudden urge to say something like "You won't get away with this!" but she knew that they most certainly would. The four women were surrounding Carly now. She glanced around warily. Why didn't they have security patrolling around here, anyway? These parking lots were death traps. Paige had made certain that nobody saw where they'd gone, so there'd be no chance of someone coming to Carly's rescue. There was no one in sight, no one within earshot. Carly bolted towards the arena doors.

They were on her before she could make it three feet. That panicked desperation surged through Carly once again. She had to get out of there. She'd seen what had happened to Roman, and to Seth, and what had nearly happened to Dean. Carly struck out violently at her attackers, scratching and clawing and throwing elbows in a frantic attempt to free herself.

Eva Marie and Rosa trapped her arms, dragging her back. Carly struggled fiercely against them, but couldn't avoid a punch to the jaw from Paige. Paige locked her arms around the back of Carly's head and drove her knee repeatedly into Carly's stomach. As she felt the hold on her arms loosen slightly, Carly doubled over in pain. She couldn't even collect herself enough to try to run before Alicia seized a handful of her hair and yanked backwards.

Carly landed hard on her back. The wind was knocked out of her. She couldn't breathe, sprawled out on the pavement as her attackers stomped and kicked viciously at her. Any vulnerable part of her body she tried to protect, they just focused on every other part she couldn't. Blow after blow jolted through her. She managed to roll over, tried to shield her ribs, hands, joints, but that only meant the assault now fell on her spine and the back of her head.

Carly desperately tried to scramble to her feet and run, but she was caught again. They held her upright as Paige kicked her in the ribs. They let Carly fall forward only to wrench her back, flinging her backwards. Carly stumbled as she fell. Her back slammed into some car's trailer hitch, the force of the impact shooting through her body like a bullet. She slumped to the ground, writhing as the pain throbbed in her back, gritting her teeth and trying not to scream or sob.

"Get her up," Paige ordered.

xXx

"_Less than a week until the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, ladies and gentlemen, and we're going to get a preview of the main event here on Monday Night Raw."_

"_Evolution vs. the Shield, I love it! Two of the most dominant factions in WWE history going head to head."_

"_We've been seeing skirmishes between the members of these two groups over the past few weeks, and this six-man tag-team match looks to be pretty straightforward. The Shield is already in the ring as Evolution is making their entrance. But, hang on, it looks like Triple H has something to say."_

xXx

Carly was collapsed against the four women who had nearly beaten her senseless. Any signs of life from her were answered with a blow to the head or the ribs until she didn't have the strength to resist anymore. Their hold on her was the only thing keeping her upright. Carly heard Evolution's music fade out and Triple H's voice echo through the arena.

"In every encounter between Evolution and the Shield," he said, "It's become clear to me that the Shield has something of a management problem. By which I mean, your manager is a problem. If Carly Caden is ringside, she causes trouble. If she's banned from ringside, she _still _causes trouble. No matter where she is, she just can't seem to mind her own business. I was at a bit of a loss about how to deal with this, but I came up with a solution. Now, don't look so worried. This is mutually beneficial, for my own peace of mind, and since you boys are suddenly so keen on making sure it's a fair fight. It's best for all of us if we keep Carly somewhere we can keep an eye on her, and if we're sure she's in no condition to cause any trouble."

xXx

"_What is he-? Oh my God."_

"_Oh no…"_

"_Eva Marie, Rosa Mendez, Alicia Fox, and Paige are dragging Carly Caden out onto the stage. I'm guessing those women are also responsible for the condition she's in."_

"_Looks like they really put her through the wringer."_

"_Oh, the Shield couldn't have been expecting this. They do not look happy."_

xXx

Alicia and Rosa released Carly's arms and she dropped to her knees. Somebody, probably Paige, planted a boot on her shoulder and shoved her over onto her side. Everything ached. Carly could hear the crowd buzzing with shock and outrage. Any other time, it would've made her feel better to know they were on her side. But she was too angry with herself for being tricked, too indignant at being humiliated like this to care.

Seth, Dean, and Roman must've been standing close enough to Triple H for their angry, shouting voices to be faintly picked up on his microphone. Triple H laughed.

"You just focus on the match, boys," he said, "She'll be perfectly safe where she is, as long as you don't try to get anywhere near her."

. The bell rang.

xXx

"_Starting things off with Randy Orton and Roman Reigns, and Orton not wasting any time, catching Reigns off-guard it seems. The Shield still seems a little shaken up."_

"_That's why they call Triple H the Cerebral Assassin. He knows how to get in an opponent's head."_

"_By ordering a hit on their friend, apparently."_

"_Hey, if you make yourself a friend of the Shield and an enemy of the Authority, you put that target on your own back."_

"_So you think he's justified in sending four Divas to beat Carly Caden senseless?"_

"_Orton has been in complete control of the match so far, not giving Reigns any space to gain momentum. Reigns trying to power out of that chokehold now, and he's – oh! Big right hand from Orton. He whips Reigns into Evolution's corner and makes the tag to Triple H."_

xXx

From the sounds of it, though, things weren't going so well for the Shield. If Carly could just sit up, she could at least see what was happening. Carly gingerly, painfully raised herself to her hands and knees. She got no further. Somebody kicked her forcefully in the stomach, and Carly dropped back to the ground.

"You stay down," said Paige.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Carly growled.

But she did stay down. At least that way she'd get a chance to recover somewhat. Carly closed her eyes and listened to the crowd.

xXx

"_Roman Reigns finally able to make the tag to Dean Ambrose."_

"_The Shield just can't get ahead of Evolution tonight. This is something we haven't seen since the night Evolution returned."_

"_Uh-oh, looks like trouble. Looks like they aren't done with Roman Reigns yet."_

"_Orton and Batista stalking Reigns and Orton outside the ring."_

"_We're gonna have a brawl on our hands pretty soon."_

"_Rollins tries to take out Batista, but he jumps right into an uppercut! Rollins is down! Batista and Orton going after Reigns. They're slamming his head into our table here and-"_

"_Look out!"_

"_Reigns thrown violently over the announcers' table! Back in the ring, Ambrose can't concentrate."_

"_He doesn't know where to look."_

"_Better watch out, Dean. This is not a good time to lose focus."_

"_Triple H hitting him with a backbreaker from behind! And then a Pedigree! Triple H goes for the cover… and he's got it."_

"_Huh. That was… that was kind of a short match for these two groups, wasn't it?"_

"_And Evolution isn't even waiting around to celebrate their victory. They're just walking out."_

"_Would you look at the Shield? They're in shock. They don't even know what hit them."_

"_After the brutal beatdowns Evolution has inflicted on them over the past weeks, now they just take a quick victory and walk? I'm confused, too."_

xXx

Triple H paused on the stage as Evolution made their exit.

"Nice work, Paige," Carly heard him say, "Ladies, you can stand down."

With parting kicks to Carly's back and ribs, that pack of she-devils left. Carly shut her eyes tightly and breathed, trying to ignore the aches that echoed through her bones. What a disaster. What an unmitigated disaster. A rushed match ending in a loss for the Shield, the week before Extreme Rules? This night was a mess from start to finish.

Suddenly, Carly felt someone's hands on the sides of her face, carefully supporting and lifting up her head. She opened her eyes to see that Roman was cradling her head in his lap.

"Easy, now," he said, "You're okay. We've got you, Carly. Just lay still."

Dean and Seth knelt on either side of her. They didn't look much the worse for their defeat at the hands of Evolution, thank goodness. Seth was looking over her, as if by doing so he could somehow ascertain if she was hurt. Dean's eyes never left her face.

"Carly? Come on, girl, talk to me," said Dean, "What did they do to you?"

For some reason, his concern annoyed her. Carly knew that was unfair of her, but honestly, what did it look like they did? Took her out for ice cream? The sooner they established that everybody was okay, the sooner they could leave.

"You guys are alright?" Carly asked.

"Don't worry about us, we're fine," Seth said dismissively, "You take it easy, alright? Where does it hurt?"

Everywhere. But mostly her feelings. Carly would've made a joke about it if she wasn't so angry that she could almost cry.

"And where are the damn medics when you need them?" said Dean, his voice crescendoing from a growl to a shout.

Making a scene again. It was like he couldn't help himself. All Carly wanted was for them to shut up so they could get out of there.

"I'm fine. I'm not hurt," Carly shook her head, "Just… just help me up, huh?"

"Hang in there until the doctors check you out, okay?" said Roman.

That soothing tone in his voice only irritated Carly further.

"Fine. I can manage on my own," she said shortly.

Carly pulled away from Roman as sharply as her stiff, aching body would allow. She eased herself upright in spite of their protests that she was in no condition to do so. It didn't matter. If they weren't going to help, she'd walk out on her own and call a cab back to the hotel, just to end this whole wreck of a night as soon as possible.

"Come on, Carly," Dean pleaded.

"I said I'm fine," Carly said.

She tried to take a step towards the exit, but putting weight on her left knee made her have to stifle a pained gasp. Not quickly enough to keep the others from noticing, unfortunately. Dean and Roman jumped to catch her, but Carly shrugged them off. The sprain _had_ been healing. Must've gotten reinjured. Great. Nobody better say anything, or -

"I'm not sure I believe you," said Seth, looking down at her skeptically.

"I'm not sure I care what you believe," Carly snapped, "Don't patronize me, Seth."

Seth was startled into silence by her outburst, and Carly hated herself for it. She felt like she'd just kicked a puppy. By that time, a few medics had gathered around and they were staring apprehensively at her. She could tell Dean and Roman were staring, too. Worse yet, she could almost feel the disapproving look in Roman's eyes. Carly messed up, and she knew it. She wanted to be anywhere but there. She just wanted to go.

"Carly?" Roman said softly.

"Seth, I'm sorry. I just… I'm tired, I'm angry, and I want to go home. Back to the hotel, I mean. Whatever," Carly muttered, "Please, can we just leave?"

Seth's expression softened and he nodded.

"Okay. We'll get you out of here," Seth said, turning to the medics, "Is that alright?"

"She _does_ have the right to refuse treatment," one of them said reluctantly, "But I wouldn't advise it."

"I'll take responsibility for her," said Seth, "We'll make sure she's taken care of."

The medics didn't look entirely supportive of this decision, but they stepped aside. The Shield slowly walked with Carly as she limped toward the locker rooms. Roman's hand hovered an inch from her arm, ready to catch her if she stumbled, but she refused to lean on him. Her pride was still too damaged to even think of accepting help.

xXx

It was another rather quiet drive back to the hotel. The boys seemed a little wary of Carly, like they were worried she would snap again. Carly slouched in the back seat, pushing herself against the door to be as far away from Dean as possible. He kept shooting her glances like he wanted to say something, but he was silent. That was bad. She'd succeeded in putting up a wall that even Dean Ambrose dared not approach.

She felt lousy about losing her temper at them, and for yelling at Seth in particular. It was completely uncalled for. After all the times they stood by her, she had to go and be an absolute jerk. She couldn't remember ever getting really angry at them before. Even the spat she'd had with Dean the week before was just that: a spat. And remembering that made her feel worse. Dean honestly cared about her. They all honestly cared about her, and she'd taken her anger out on them. Maybe she should've taken a taxi back to the hotel, just to spare them all this awkwardness.

Suddenly, Seth took a deep breath and turned back to Carly.

"We're so sorry," he said, "We should've known… _I _should've known they were coming after you next."

"We should've done something to protect you, and we didn't," said Roman.

Wait, what? _They _were apologizing to _her_? Why on earth-?

"What are you talking about?" said Carly, mystified.

"Aren't… aren't you mad at us?" Dean asked hesitantly.

Incredulous, Carly couldn't help but laugh. The very idea that the boys thought _they _had done something wrong was just too ridiculous. But now they looked even more confused, and slightly concerned about her sanity. She'd better clear things up.

"Of course not!" said Carly, "I'm mad at _myself_."

"Wait, why would you be mad at yourself?" asked Roman, glancing back at her in the rear-view mirror.

"Because I fell for that stupid trick like an idiot," Carly sighed in frustration.

"What trick?" said Seth.

"Yeah, you never told us what happened after you left with Paige," said Dean.

"Paige," Carly growled the name, "Told me Natalya was in trouble for helping me. I followed her out into the parking lot, like a moron, and that's when they kicked the daylights out of me. I can't believe I walked right into a trap."

Dean reached over to rub her shoulder comfortingly, which actually kind of hurt, but Carly thankfully had the presence of mind to smile at him instead of flinching.

"I thought Paige was on our side," Roman shook his head incredulously, "Wonder how Triple H got to her."

"You're telling me," Carly grumbled, "If you don't already have trust issues coming into this company, you'll get them soon enough."

"Look, you had every right to be upset," said Seth.

"But I don't have _any _right to take it out on you three," said Carly, "I'm sorry, guys. I shouldn't have lost my temper at you. I just wanted it all to be over."

"Don't worry about it, princess," Dean said, "We all lose it every now and then."

"Some more often than others," Roman said under his breath.

"Cute," said Dean, wrinkling his nose.

"But seriously, Carly," said Seth, "We've had our fair share of stupid fights. One time, just before you came to work here, we were at each other's throats so bad that it was almost the end of the Shield."

"Really?" said Carly. She knew they argued from time to time, but it was hard for her to imagine them getting to a point where the Shield would seriously consider breaking up.

"Mhmm," Dean nodded, "Me and Roman only got our act together because Seth walked out on a match. Personally, I would've preferred it if the three of us duked it out in the parking lot and then went out for beers afterwards, but-"

"Hey," said Seth, throwing up his hands, "I'll let you and Roman settle your differences with your fists. I prefer making a point."

"I distinctly remember you making a point to slap me across the face," Dean said drily.

"Well, I distinctly remember _you _punching me in the mouth," Seth retorted, "So we're even."

"I knocked Dean down," Roman added after a pause, "Not that it had any effect on the proceedings. Just felt like the thing to do at the time."

"Yeah, thanks for that, uce," said Dean.

"No problem," Roman grinned.

By that time, Roman was pulling into a parking space at the hotel, and Carly was relieved that she'd been able to clear the air with them. Seth and Dean went to get their gear from the trunk. Roman opened the door for Carly and looked down at her with a faint smile.

"Are you at least gonna let us help you now?" he asked.

Carly blinked in surprise. She hadn't even considered that refusing their assistance would bother them. But now that she thought about it, of course it'd be upsetting to have someone essentially tell you they'd rather continue suffering than accept your help. Carly cringed inwardly. She'd sunk to new depths of discourtesy tonight.

"I'd really appreciate it, actually," she said humbly.

Roman needed no second bidding. He gently lifted Carly and carried her inside. Carly was grateful they had forgiven her that readily. She knew they were well used to fighting and making up with each other (they were brothers, after all) but she hadn't been the one causing strife before tonight.

As usual, they all went to the boys' hotel room to talk strategy. Roman set Carly down on one of the beds. While Seth and Dean dropped off their baggage, Carly carefully tried to take off her jacket. She couldn't help wincing as her joints resisted the movement. Roman stopped her.

"Let me," he offered.

"Thanks," said Carly.

Roman moved behind Carly to ease the jacket off her shoulders.

"What is _that_?" Carly heard him exclaim.

"Carly, what happened to your back?" Seth asked sharply.

"What do you mean?" said Carly. She turned to see them all looking at her concernedly.

"There's blood on the back of your shirt," said Roman, "What happened?"

It took Carly a moment to remember, and doing so returned her attention to how much her back actually was hurting.

"Oh. Well," said Carly, "I did get thrown into a trailer hitch at one point, so I guess-"

Shocked outbursts from the boys cut her off.

"They did that on _purpose_?" said Roman, "What is wrong with those girls?"

Dean raked his fingers through his hair. He looked like he wanted to punch something, but at the same time was very aware that there was nothing and no one he _could_ punch that would help the situation. Seth just frowned concernedly down at Carly.

"Will you let me take a look?" Seth asked.

"Sure, I guess," Carly shrugged.

She figured it couldn't hurt, and they all looked so worried that it would be pointless to argue. She _had _promised herself she'd let them help, after all. Dean and Roman went to stand behind Seth, who sat on the bed behind Carly and raised the back of her shirt a bit. Carly heard Seth inhale sharply through his teeth.

"Oh man…" said Roman, "Do we need to get her to a doctor?"

"No, I don't think so," Seth said slowly, "The cut itself isn't that deep. It just looks bad because it's bruised all to hell."

In a small way, the knowledge that she actually _was _hurt was validating to Carly. She'd felt kind of pathetic for letting herself be taken out by one blow to the back. Dean sat down facing Carly and took her by the shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" he said. He spoke a little more slowly than necessary, as if he was trying to keep from shouting.

"I didn't know," said Carly, "How am I supposed to see if something happened to my own back?"

"But that looks like it hurts," he protested.

"It does hurt," said Carly. The statement ended up sounding like a question.

"Then why would you-?" Dean spluttered, "You didn't think to mention-? Busted your back on a _trailer hitch_,for the love of-! I can't."

Dean stood up hurriedly to pace off his incredulous exasperation. Carly watched him guiltily, and Roman shook his head.

"Go easy on her," Roman said, "Don't you think she feels bad enough already? Anyway, you can't even talk, Dean. Remember that time back when we were first starting out, when you cut up your hand punching that windshield? I literally had to pin you down so we could take care of it."

"Roman, why do you have to be right all the time?" said Dean.

He glared petulantly at Roman, but calmed down all the same. The mental image of Seth and Roman trying to patch Dean up while he fought like a wounded animal was amusing to Carly, but only until she actually stopped to think about it. Then it wasn't funny at all. It was a little sad and kind of distressing. Poor Dean, to be that unresponsive to kindness. Poor Seth and Roman, to be distrusted like that. But look at them now. Carly was so grateful for all their sakes that this unlikely band of brothers had come together.

"We should be able to get you patched up ourselves, Carly," said Seth, "If that's ok with you?"

"Amateur medical attention? What could possibly go wrong?" Carly said wryly. In all honesty, she'd rather take her chances with that than have to get up again, "Go ahead, doc."

"Alright," said Seth, laughing at her pronounced lack of enthusiasm, "Dr. Ambrose?"

"On it, Dr. Rollins," Dean played along.

He knelt down and rummaged around in his suitcase. Carly watched curiously as he produced a first-aid kit.

"You carry a first-aid kit?" she asked.

"After all the crazy stuff that happens in the indies," Dean grinned, "You learn that it pays to be prepared. You should hear some of the-"

"No. Dean, no," Seth interrupted, "If you're thinking of telling her about the time you did that cowboy surgery on – no. Now is not the time for that story."

"It's _never _the time for that story," Roman muttered.

"Bunch of lightweights," said Dean.

Dean set the kit on the bed and flipped it open. As he and Seth rummaged through it, Carly noticed that in addition to the usual components, it also contained a flask and a pack of sewing needles. Yeah, she really did not want to hear that story. Seth went to the sink and held a few gauze pads under the faucet.

"I'll go get some ice while you take care of her," offered Roman.

"Good thinking," said Seth.

"Don't worry, Carly," Roman called as he walked out the door, "Believe it or not, those two actually do know what they're doing."

"You're in good hands," said Dean, "We're experts."

"Dean's the expert," said Seth, "I just play one on TV."

Carly laughed a little in spite of herself. Seth started gently and meticulously cleaning the cut. Now that she was sitting still, Carly would've liked nothing more than to collapse and sleep for the next five years. Her aching body felt stiff and tired. Even though the boys had forgiven her, her treatment of them when they were just trying to help still weighed on her mind, as did the memory of Paige turning on her. Carly wondered if she had done something wrong, anything that would've prompted that sudden shift in loyalties. But maybe it didn't have anything to do with her at all. Paige had said it was just business. That was an even more chilling thought – that someone could abruptly alter their morals like that just to suit their own selfish goals.

Seth got up to throw away the used pieces of gauze, and Dean retrieved and opened an antiseptic wipe. The sting of it coming into contact with the cut startled Carly out of her musings. She flinched away.

"Hey, relax. Relax," Dean said soothingly, holding onto Carly's shoulder to steady her, "We're almost done here."

Roman let himself back in, ice in hand.

"Still alive, Carly?" he asked.

"I resent that, Roman," Seth said, feigning offense, "We haven't lost a patient yet."

"The only other patient you two have had is me," said Roman, "And I'm little sturdier than she is. No offense, Carly."

"None taken," she said, grimacing because he was right.

"Hey, paging Dr. Rollins," Dean called, "I need a hand finishing up here."

As Dean and Seth worked together to tape another piece of gauze over the cut as a bandage, Roman started making up a makeshift ice-pack.

"There," said Seth, rubbing Carly's shoulders reassuringly, "All fixed."

"Thanks," said Carly.

"Now, Miss Caden, are you sure they didn't hurt you otherwise?" said Dean, half-jokingly, "They didn't beat the common sense out of you? Not that you had much to start with."

He took Carly's head in his hands as he talked, pretending to examine it for further damage. Carly made a face at him but didn't pull away. She owed it to the boys to play nice for a while.

"Very funny," she said wryly.

"Seriously, though, Carly," said Seth, standing up and facing her, "If you get hurt, don't lie about it for any reason. Even if you think it's nothing, okay? That's how people in this business get into a lot of trouble."

"Right," said Carly, a little abashed, "Sorry, Seth."

"Alright, mom," Roman interjected, "No more lecturing. Let her rest."

"I just want her to be smart about this," Seth protested.

Dean muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Don't hold your breath."

Dean had stacked a couple pillows, and he helped Carly to reposition herself so she could lean back against them. She had to admit, he and Seth were pretty efficient when it came to first-aid. She supposed the Shield had a lot of practice making sure each other got patched up and taken care of.

"Here," said Roman, sitting down next to her, "We better get some ice on that knee. I'm sure getting stomped into the pavement didn't do it any favors."

"You can say that again," said Carly.

She winced as Roman helped straighten her knee out and settled the ice-pack onto it.

"Sorry," he said with a sympathetic smile.

"Hey, you good now?" said Dean. He still seemed a little miffed for some reason.

"Better than I was," Carly answered honestly.

"Good. No more making us worry," he ordered.

Dean sat down on the bed. When he glanced over at Carly, his irritated expression softened, and he reached over to brush the hair back from her forehead.

"Scared the hell out of us, y'know," he said, "Seeing you not moving, beaten half to death like that."

"I'm sorry-" Carly began.

"Stop that," Dean interrupted, not unkindly, "That's not what I meant."

He looked down for a moment. When glanced back at Carly, there was a smile on his face that, incongruously enough, almost made him look shy.

"I kept that promise, y'know," he said softly, then wrinkled his nose, "I didn't want to, but I did."

That's right, he did. Dean had done his level best to focus on the task at hand, the match, against all odds.

"Knights oughta keep their promises," said Carly, taking his hand for a moment, "I'm proud of you, Dean."

"Yeah, well," he laughed self-consciously.

Carly saw Seth and Roman shooting each other knowing looks during that exchange. At first she assumed it was because Dean must've told them about their conversation, but then they looked confused when she mentioned knights. When Roman noticed that Carly had noticed, he smiled disarmingly. There they were, being evasive again.

"We're just glad you're alright, more or less," said Roman.

"Hopefully it'll never happen again," said Seth, "But if it does, just let us help, alright?"

"Alright," Carly said sheepishly.

It was at moments like these when Carly realized just how much her brief time with the Authority had skewed her thinking. The Shield had perfected the art of camaraderie. They were defined by their trust in and reliance on each other. Carly, on the other hand, couldn't quite shake the proud, every-man-for-himself selfishness the Authority prized so highly. For all her talk of honor, and for all that she was willing to do to help the Shield, Carly's first impulse was always to handle matters on her own. It was becoming apparent to her that she was not particularly good at being a friend.

But maybe it wasn't fair to blame the Authority (ridiculous as that sounded, since they were to blame for pretty much everything). Maybe it was a fault of her own. Maybe there was more McMahon in her than she'd been willing to admit.

"Alright, Seth," said Roman, "Any theories on what the hell tonight was about?"

"Punishment. At least as far as what happened to Carly is concerned," said Seth, "My guess is that Randy Orton dragging her into his match with Dean was supposed to kill two birds with one stone. You know, put the hurt on Dean and Carly at the same time. Since that backfired, and since Carly's been instrumental in messing up Triple H's plans, he put a hit out on her in particular, and used it to keep us off-balance."

"And the match itself?" asked Dean, "If you can call that mess a match."

"So simple it was too stupid to bear thinking about," Seth said drily, "They threw my own strategy back at me, in their own vindictive way. Aside from what happened to Carly, they won clean. That's the first time they were able to do that. And, they got it done without wearing themselves out. They wanted a win going into Extreme Rules, but they didn't want to risk anything."

"That's pathetic," Dean said emphatically.

"That's Evolution," Roman shrugged.

"So you don't think they'll be at Smackdown?" Carly asked.

"I can almost guarantee they won't," said Seth, "But they're gonna make sure we are, and they probably have something spiteful planned to make sure we won't be at one-hundred percent on Sunday."

"Let me guess," said Roman, "There's no way we can figure out what it is?"

"Probably not," said Seth. He sighed in frustration, "We can handle anything, as long as we know it's coming. Even that stupid eleven-on-three match could've been taken care of if-"

Seth broke off suddenly. He looked around at the others, his eyes practically glowing with excitement.

"I think I know how we can get a little retribution of our own," he said.

xXx

Verified: Evolution and the Authority would not be making an appearance at the Smackdown broadcast. Carly and the Shield slipped into the arena far earlier than they normally would. As usual, though, they found an "undisclosed location" to use as their base of operations. Carly had more or less recovered from the unfortunate events of Monday, though, at the boys' insistence, she'd let Seth wrap and tape her knee. Just to be safe, they'd said.

"Just about showtime, I think," said Seth, rubbing his hands together, "All set, Carly?"

"All set," Carly nodded.

"Are you sure you can swing it?" asked Dean.

Carly didn't appreciate the skeptical look he was giving her. She raised her chin and smirked up at him.

"Sweetheart," she said, mimicking the cadence of Dean's voice, "I can handle Vickie Guerrero any day of the week. I'm surprised you don't know that by now."

Dean's eyes narrowed. His mouth twisted into a grimace, as though he was trying to fight back a smile.

"You're mocking me, aren't you," he said drily.

"Seriously, Carly," said Seth, "You remember the plan, right?"

"Come on, Seth," Carly groaned, "We've been over this. I helped you come up with the plan. It's a walk in the park. All I have to do is go to Vickie and beg her not to throw us in that briar patch."

"Then hop to it, Br'er Rabbit," Roman grinned, "Only don't actually hop. You'll hurt your knee again."

"Don't worry about me, boys," said Carly, "Subterfuge and sabotage are what I do best."

"Except when you get caught and locked in closets," Dean called after her as she walked away.

Carly ignored him and continued on toward Vickie's office. If she didn't know the Shield as well as she did, she might have been insulted. But Seth was just being overcautious because he wanted the plan to go according to plan. Dean, on the other hand, was just being Dean. And Carly gave as good as she got from him, so his teasing never really bothered her.

Carly paused a moment to collect herself in the empty hallway outside the general manager's designated office. There was a good reason she'd been given this part of the mission. Carly and Seth were the only ones in the group with any amount of acting ability. Roman was far too honest and straightforward to be convincing, and Dean could control his emotions just about as well as he could control the weather.

Carly took a step back and rearranged her expression into one of outrage. She charged at the door, bursting into the room.

"Vickie, how could you!" she cried accusingly.

Startled, Vickie Guerrero gave a little shriek and threw up her arms, losing her grip on her cell phone and making a futile attempt to juggle it back into her hands before it clattered to the floor. Carly had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Vickie tried to draw herself up into a dignified posture.

"You can't just barge into my office like that," she said, "And what are you talking about? How could I what?"

"You know very well what!" said Carly, advancing on her, "I have it on good authority that Triple H gave the order to have the Shield put in another eleven-on-three handicap match tonight, and you're just going stand by and let this happen?"

"Triple H didn't order anything of the sort," Vickie fired back, "I would know, because-"

"Oh, I see how it is," Carly nodded, glaring at the other woman, "It wasn't Triple H's idea at all. It was _yours_! I should've known. Only you could've come up with such a devious strategy. That's why the Authority gave you this position of power. I bet Triple H and Stephanie were so pleased when you told them. You're every bit as cruel and cunning as they are!"

Carly worried that she might be laying it on a bit thick. But a slow smile was spreading across Vickie's face, and Carly knew she'd taken the bait.

"You're right," Vickie said with an abrasive laugh, "It was my idea. I didn't just get this job because of my looks, you know. And you can go tell the Shield that they _will _have a match tonight against Curtis Axel, and Ryback, and Alberto del Rio, and 3MB, and Jack Swagger, and Fandango, and Titus O'Neil, and Bad News Barrett, and… and-"

Vickie seemed unable to think of an eleventh name. Carly jumped in.

"Not Damien Sandown," she said, as though the thought of it horrified her. She felt a little bad for picking on Sandow. She had nothing against the man, but his name was the first one she thought of, and _anybody _was preferable to Rusev.

"Yes, Damien Sandow," Vickie crowed triumphantly, "And there's nothing you can do about it!"

Carly opened her mouth, then pursed her lips distressedly, looking down as if she had become aware of her inevitable defeat. When she finally looked back at Vickie, Carly appeared to be on the verge of tears.

"It's impossible," she said in a broken voice, "The Shield doesn't stand a chance. I hope you're proud of yourself, Vickie!"

And with that, Carly turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. There were other employees milling about by that time, so she had to keep up the appearance of being upset as she ran back to the Shield. She was rather pleased with herself. Vickie Guerrero was easily managed, sure, but Carly had put on a mighty fine show. Too bad no one was there to see it.

When she reached the all but deserted hallway where the Shield waited, she slowed to a saunter. The boys looked to her expectantly. Carly grinned.

"Mischief managed," she proclaimed, high-fiving Roman.

"I never should've doubted you, princess," said Dean. He threw an arm around Carly's neck and kissed the side of her head.

"Vickie fell for it?" asked Seth.

"Hook, line, and sinker," Carly said proudly, "Just call me Colonel Hogan."

"Who?" Seth tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh come on, Seth," said Roman, "You're telling me you've never seen reruns of _Hogan's Heroes_?"

"Explain it to me later," said Seth, "It's time to suit up and go hunting, boys."

xXx

Carly sat near one of the backstage monitors, only half paying attention to the match between Cesaro and Jack Swagger. At some point, she would have to scout out the Shield's next target, but she didn't want to miss _all _the fun. She wished one of these two would hurry up and knock the other one senseless.

She was trying to focus. If she started thinking about what might happen at Extreme Rules, her stomach began to twist itself into worried knots. Why fret about that now, anyway? It was two days away. Besides, the Shield would be on their own then. There'd be nothing she could do to help, so… Actually, no, that was a really good reason to worry.

Finally. Cesaro picked up the win, he and his walrus celebrated beside a fallen Jack Swagger, and cue Shield. Heyman and Cesaro made a hasty retreat while the Shield surrounded the ring like a pack of wolves. Just as Swagger got to his feet, a Superman punch from a thoroughly keyed-up Roman Reigns floored him again. One roar to the heavens, one triple-powerbomb, and goodnight, Swagger. Carly stuck around only long enough to hear the crowd explode with anticipation at the Shield's declaration of war. She had reconnaissance work to do.

xXx

"Great start, guys," said Carly, "_Slight _hitch in the proceedings, though."

"Aww, come on," Seth groaned, "What could've gone wrong already?"

She'd caught them still fired up from their strong start. She didn't like having to bring them down, but it was part of her job as scout to bring bad news on occasion.

"Nothing terrible," she said, "Just thought you'd want to know that Vickie got sent home for the night. Brad Maddox was brought in to take over, and he wants you all to come to his office."

"Looks like we're gonna have to take care of business," Roman smirked, "We never did get a chance to repay him for his fine work ratting you out to Triple H."

"I think I'm gonna enjoy this," Dean grinned, rubbing his hands together.

"We can let the weasel wait for a bit," said Seth, "We can dispose of him easily enough. Who's up next, Carly?"

"3MB. They were hanging out just past catering last I checked," said Carly, "I'd love to get my hands on that punk, Heath Slater. Show him what it feels like to be trapped in a wrist lock for five minutes straight."

She glowered and rubbed her shoulder absently. She hadn't had anything against Slater before that awful Friday night. Now she couldn't bring herself to forgive him for siding with the Authority, with _Evolution_, and for being the one who forced her to watch that brutal attack.

"Right, he was the one that twisted your arm, wasn't he," Dean said thoughtfully.

"Leave him to us tonight, alright?" said Roman, massaging his wrist as he clenched his hand into a fist, "We'll teach him a lesson."

Carly sighed, and Seth put his arm around her shoulders consolingly.

"You'll get a crack at Slater at some point. I promise," he said, "But I don't want you risking yourself after the beating you took on Monday."

"You're probably right," Carly said resignedly.

"I'm always right," said Seth, grinning.

Carly watched from a distance as the Shield surrounded 3MB, appearing one at a time in an almost theatrical manner. She smiled to herself. The boys were such show-offs. Dean and Seth proceeded to beat the daylights out of McIntyre and Mahal while Roman held Slater frozen in terror by the sheer intensity of his wolf's eyes. Slater tried to get away, but Dean kneed him in the head before tossing him back into the path of a Superman punch from Roman.

The Shield left the crumpled remains of 3MB without so much as a word or a backward glance. Carly couldn't help thinking that these were the sort of men who walked away from explosions. She didn't bring it up, because she was sure they knew exactly how cool they looked at any given time. Carly fell in step with them as Seth lead the way.

"Off to hunt ourselves a flying monkey?" asked Dean.

"Might as well," Seth shrugged, "Coming along, Carly?"

"Wouldn't miss it," she grinned.

Carly leaned against the doorframe as the Shield stalked into the office, surrounding Brad Maddox. His smug confidence faltered a bit when Seth plucked the cell phone from his hand and passed it to Dean, who immediately tossed it over his shoulder.

The boys certainly weren't listening to anything Brad was saying. They let him ramble for a few seconds before Roman reached over and took hold of his tie. Carly could see true fear in the eyes of Brad Maddox as Roman wrapped it around his hand. Seth clapped him in the back, smiling insincerely, and instantly had to step aside as Roman hurled Brad full force against the wall.

Brad landed, stunned, on top of the couch. Seth and Roman pulled it away from the wall, dumping him to the floor. Seth took a step towards the fallen weasel, but to everyone's bafflement, Dean held him back. A confused Seth asked what he was doing, and then-

Dean leapt – no, _pounced _– over the couch like a wild animal and tore into Brad. It almost sounded like Dean was ripping him to pieces. Carly knew she shouldn't find it funny, but she nearly burst out laughing. From where she stood, the couch blocked her view of Dean and Brad, and the whole thing looked so hilariously slapstick-ish that she almost lost it.

Seth and Roman stood back and let him go to town. They were every bit as entertained by it as Carly was. With a final stomp, Dean stepped away. He looked proudly, expectantly back at Seth and Roman, as if to say 'Don't worry, guys. I got 'im.' Seth laughed and threw an arm around Dean's neck and pulled him away.

"I love it when he gets like this," Roman remarked, grinning, as he clapped Dean on the back.

Carly stood in utter bemusement as the Shield walked past, her hand pressed over her mouth. Roman and Dean didn't seem to notice, but Seth paused.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"What Dean just did," said Carly, "Does it make me a bad person if I thought it was adorable?"

Seth burst out laughing at her conflicted bewilderment.

"Oh, Carly," he said, patting her on the head, "Let's go."

xXx

"One more down," said Dean, dancing a bit as he and the boys returned to Carly.

"Don't you think that might have been overkill, just a little?" Carly said hesitantly, "I mean, sure, Fandango is a two-timing scumbag, but he… I'm sorry. I have no idea why I was trying to defend him. Good work. He completely deserved to be triple-powerbombed off the stage onto a table."

"Is there still time to level the field some more?" asked Roman.

"I'd say we could take out one more," Seth said thoughtfully, "Carly?"

"The rest of them have gotten wise and made themselves scarce," she said, "Except for Curtis Axel. He's still in the locker room."

"Maybe we oughta teach him what happens when you go tempting fate like that," Dean grinned.

"'Better than perfect', huh?" said Roman, "We'll see about that."

As Carly watched them stalk into the locker room, she wished she could see the looks on the Authority's faces now. They may hold the power in this company, but the Shield was still better by far than Evolution. Better fighters and better men, just like Seth said. She had no doubt whatsoever that the Shield could pick up the victory at Extreme Rules.

When the match finally began, the opposition had been whittled down to only five men. Not exactly ideal, still, but well within the Shield's ability to handle. The boys were able to use the strategy that had been employed against them weeks ago. Frequent tags to a cornered Ryback and Titus O'Neil quickly wore them down.

Unfortunately for Dean, that lout Barrett was able to take over for a while, and passed the poor guy off to get tossed around by del Rio. Seth was pacing agitatedly on the apron, but that was more due to adrenaline than nerves. Carly wasn't worried either. That's what she kept telling herself, at least. That is, until del Rio landed a brutal kick to the side of Dean's head and got a near-fall.

The look of shocked concern on Seth and Roman's faces convinced Carly that now was the time to panic a little. And now Dean was getting manhandled by Ryback. Carly fidgeted anxiously, flinching every time Dean took a hit. This was not good. He needed to tag out, and soon. Her heart nearly stopped when Seth jumped in to save Dean and got tossed to the ground by Ryback for his troubles. They couldn't lose. Not now. Not after all they'd done to set this up.

Finally! Thank goodness, Roman was tagged in. Sandow never knew what hit him, and the fight quickly devolved into a brawl. An interfering Ryback and O'Neil were dumped out of the ring by Roman to be disposed of by Dean and Seth. Poor, unfortunate Sandow took an apron dropkick to the head, and would've taken a Superman punch if not for the half-hearted attempt at interference by del Rio and Barrett.

Those two quickly decided that better part of valor is walking away like cowards, and that was all the Shield needed to swing the night in their favor. Seth flipped over the ropes to take out Ryback, then he and Dean took out Sandow and O'Neil with a suicide dive. Carly didn't know what had happened to Roman, del Rio, or Barrett, until she saw the latter two walking up the ramp. Then Roman, like some kind of avenging angel, flew out of nowhere and took del Rio down with a Superman punch while Barrett ran off with his tail between his legs.

It was one of the most satisfying, triumphant sights in the world: Dean and Roman and Seth walking side by side back to the ring and to certain victory. And with a dropkick and a spear to Sandow, it was theirs. To the crowd's delight, they capped it off with a spear to O'Neil and a triple-powerbomb to Ryback.

Carly really hoped that no one had heard her loud, excited shouting during the final stages of that match. But let Evolution take note: the Shield was – and would always be – victorious.

**(Note: This chapter got away from me a bit, so it's somewhat rough around the edges. Thank you to all the lovely people who left feedback! It means a lot to me that you're enjoying the story.)**


	11. Dangerous Prey

**Dangerous Prey**

"Oh-my-god-Seth-what-are-you-doing-no!" Carly shouted in one breath.

She had seen Seth forced into a corner and nearly torn to pieces by the sadistic men of Evolution for what felt like hours before he could tag out. She had seen Triple H sidestep a spear and let Roman run himself full force into the steel steps. She had seen Dean so dazed from a beating that he couldn't even land a punch. But nothing had made her heart stop in legitimate terror like this had.

The match had broken down into a brawl. Roman and Batista, the legal men, were laid out in the ring. Dean charged across the tops of the announcers' tables to save Seth from Triple H and Randy Orton, but both Dean and Seth were driven into the crowd, beaten left, right, and center, upstairs and down. All hell had broken loose. Dean was shoved down a flight of steps, and Orton and Triple H were moving in for the kill when, out of nowhere, Seth _flung himself off a balcony on top of all three men_.

Carly pressed her hand tightly over her mouth to keep from screaming inarticulately. What in the _actual hell _was he thinking? Seth was flat on his face where he'd landed. Dean was sprawled out on his back, also not moving. Trips and Orton, well, they deserved the pain they appeared to be experiencing.

Back in the ring, Batista hit Roman with a spinebuster. Carly was nearly flying apart in panic over the fate of Seth and Dean as well as the outcome of the match. Somehow - God only knows how - Roman rallied, fighting out of Batista's grasp and landing a Superman punch. Roman threw himself into the corner, waiting, firing himself up for one final spear.

Carly hurt her own shoulder with how enthusiastically she punched the air when the spear connected. She didn't care. She was too busy jumping up and down and screaming like a fool because Roman had just clinched the win for the Shield. Everyone backstage and out of the Authority's sight was cheering wildly along with her. Evolution, legend in its own day, had fallen.

Carly pulled herself away from the emphatic hugging and celebrating that was going on to look back at the monitor. She didn't know how Roman had summoned up the strength to do so, but he had run up through the audience to his brothers. He was carrying Dean across his shoulders, and helping Seth to his feet with his free hand. Of course he was. The sight warmed Carly's heart. Come hell or high water, Roman's first thought was always for his brothers. They paused at the doors, Seth and Dean barely able to stand, to hold out their fists together in victory.

The boys were checked out by the medics and hurried off to the press conference before Carly could get to them, so she meandered around near the locker rooms waiting for them. She hadn't seen hide nor hair of Evolution. They were likely somewhat incensed at the moment, so that was probably for the best. The Shield had proven what they'd set out to prove: they were the better men.

Carly walked in figure-eights with impatient, bouncing steps, unable to keep still. She wanted to see them. Those insane, ridiculous boys had nearly killed themselves for each other tonight. Seth in particular. Just the thought of what he'd done made Carly's stomach drop all over again.

"Hey, princess!" Dean called, "Aren't you even gonna congratulate us?"

Carly looked up to see the Shield walking down the hallway towards her. They looked tired and sore, but every bit as smugly triumphant as she'd expected them to be. Carly ran to them, skidding to halt when her common sense caught up and reminded her that forceful hugs were probably the last thing they needed.

"Congratulations!" said Carly, gingerly hugging Dean, and then Roman, "You guys were amazing out there. I've said it before and I'll say it again: long live the Hounds of Justice."

She was extra careful when she hugged Seth. He'd apparently hurt himself in that maniac swan-dive, and now his elbow was wrapped up.

"Come on," said Roman, putting an arm around Carly's shoulders, "Let's get out of here and celebrate."

"I think I saw a bar near the hotel," Dean suggested.

"Within walking distance?" asked Seth.

"Yeah, looked like it," said Dean.

"Awesome. Nobody has to be the designated driver," said Seth, high-fiving Dean.

xXx

Carly was more than happy to just sit and listen. The boys were starting into their third round of beers, while she (the lightweight) was still sipping away at her first brandy old-fashioned.

"I don't like beer," she'd said, to the boys' disbelief, "I know. I'm a disgrace to my Midwestern upbringing."

All exhaustion forgotten, the Shield was loudly and enthusiastically recapping the match. They were congratulating each other on the crazy, phenomenal stunts they pulled, and laughing over how the mighty had fallen. But Carly found her high spirits slipping away as the night wore on. Yes, the Shield had defeated Evolution in one hell of a showdown. Now what?

Roman had said they weren't worried about the consequences of their victory. Which was all well and good, Carly supposed, since she knew the Shield was more than a match for Evolution. Still, there was no knowing how long this would go on. Like it or not (she didn't), Triple H legitimately held all the power in this company. He had the ability to make their lives hell, and Carly knew he was going to do so and enjoy it. That twisted megalomaniac wasn't going to stop until he'd completely broken Dean and Seth and Roman. Figuratively or literally, it didn't matter to Triple H. There had to be some way to stop him once and for all. Carly just couldn't think _how_.

She didn't realize how lost in thought she'd been until she suddenly noticed Seth standing next to her.

"Carly, dance with me!" he said.

"Go ask Roman. He's prettier," Carly deflected. Dancing really wasn't her thing.

"True," said Seth, taking her hands and pulling her off her seat, "But I wanna dance with you."

"But your arm is hurt," said Carly.

"Then be gentle with me," Seth said with a jokingly suggestive smirk.

"Seth!" Carly exclaimed. She tried to glare at him, but had a hard time smothering a smile.

"Sorry, sorry," Seth laughed, "I'll be good. I promise."

"You're a little drunk, aren't you?" said Carly, raising an eyebrow.

"Quite probably. Oh, come on, already," Seth wheedled, "Please? One dance isn't gonna hurt me. It's a slow song, anyway."

It was. A song by Lorde, Carly was fairly certain it was called "Team." She let Seth pull her over to the corner of the bar that was free from tables and was being used as a dance floor. Carly didn't really _dislike _dancing, so much as she just didn't dance very often and wasn't very good at it. But if Seth wanted to that badly, she didn't mind. Seth put his arms around her waist, and Carly put hers around his neck, keeping close so they could still talk over the music as they swayed together.

"So I take it 'reckless abandon' is your middle name," said Carly.

"Pretty neat strategy, huh?" Seth said proudly.

"You could get yourself killed with a strategy like that," said Carly.

She was very aware that she was repeating herself. Seth leaned back a little so he could look Carly in the eyes.

"Aww, Carly," he said with a roguish smile, "Were you worried about me?"

"Of course I worry about you, Seth," said Carly, a little nettled just remembering it, "Running around jumping off balconies and getting yourself hit with sledgehammers."

"You didn't think I was gonna stand there and let them annihilate Dean, did you?" Seth sighed and leaned closer again, looking over Carly's head as he spoke, "I know the impression I give off sometimes. I'm the practical, calculating one. People think I'm a cold fish, but… Dean and Roman, they're the best friends I ever had, y'know? And I wouldn't hesitate to do anything for them, no matter how crazy it looks. They mean everything to me."

Carly watched Seth's face. Maybe the alcohol had loosened his tongue a bit, but she didn't doubt his sincerity for a second. There was a sort of open earnestness in his eyes whenever he talked about Dean and Roman. Cold? Hardly. Beneath that strategic mind, Seth Rollins had a warm heart. Only reckless love for a brother would possess a pragmatic man to leap before looking. Only honest compassion would make that man invite a stranger who had been an enemy to call his family her own.

Seth had been silent for a moment. He suddenly seemed to notice that Carly was staring at him, and glanced back down at her.

"What?" he said.

Carly smiled. "You're an exceptional creature, Seth Rollins."

He laughed, looking away modestly. Soon, the music faded out. Roman appeared next to them as Avicii's "Hey Brother" began to play.

"Mind if I cut in?" he asked.

"Go ahead," said Seth, stepping back, "Thanks, Carly."

Seth made his way back to the table where Dean was still sitting.

"Unless you wanted to sit down," Roman said politely.

"Very gentlemanly of you, Roman, but I'm fine," said Carly, "I wasn't in a fight tonight. If you guys want to dance, it's the least I can do for the conquering heroes."

Roman laughed. He took Carly's right hand and put his other hand on her back, pulling her into a relaxed version of a closed ballroom dance position. Carly rested her free hand on his shoulder.

"Can we even slow dance to this song?" she said as they tried to fall into the rhythm of it.

"We'll make it work," Roman grinned.

And they did, moving together a little faster than the last song had allowed. Carly laughed at herself for doubting him. Injuries and insurmountable odds were no obstacle to Roman. Why should an in-between tempo be any different?

Roman seemed content to dance without conversation, and that was fine with Carly. There was no such thing as an uncomfortable silence with Roman Reigns. His mere presence was a more eloquent form of communication than most people could accomplish with words. For the moment, he was a soldier on leave, enjoying the company of friends and the brief respite from battle.

As the tempo of the song picked up during an instrumental break, Roman pulled away and took both of Carly's hands in his. He started dancing faster and more freely, and Carly tried to follow his lead. Roman was about as good at freestyling as she was, which wasn't saying much for him, but that put Carly more at ease. Roman raised her hand and spun her around more times than she could keep her balance for. She managed to catch herself, laughing breathlessly, as he pulled her back into his arms.

"Sorry!" she said, "See, this is why I don't dance like this."

"Me either," said Roman, "Ballroom dancing is more my thing."

"Really?" Carly asked curiously.

"Sure," Roman shrugged, "I was in a ballroom dance club back in college. Ladies love a man who can waltz."

He winked at her.

"You heartbreaker," said Carly, grinning up at him.

Dean had made his way over as the song was ending, and waiting for Carly and Roman to finish dancing. As the piano intro of "All of Me" by John Legend started up, he elbowed Roman gently.

"My turn, uce," he said.

Roman laughed and stepped away, patting Dean on the back before returning to the table. Dean tilted his head at Carly with a charming smile and held out his hand to her.

"May I have this dance, princess?" he asked.

Carly put her hand in his, and he stepped closer. She gingerly put her arms around his neck and followed his lead, swaying slowly. Dean looked to have gotten the worst of tonight's match. She was trying to handle him cautiously. After a bit, he seemed to notice that she was keeping her distance.

"I'm not gonna bite you, y'know," he said drily.

"You had a ninja drop straight out of the sky on top of you tonight," said Carly, "I just don't want to hurt you."

"Like you could hurt me," Dean scoffed, "C'mere."

Dean pulled her closer so there was hardly any space between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around his shoulders. Carly shot a glance at him, a little unsure where to look now that she was in such close proximity to her dance partner. Dean chuckled at her hesitation.

"A princess who doesn't even know how to dance," he muttered, "What next?"

Dean reached a hand up and gently pushed on the back of Carly's head, guiding her to rest it against his shoulder. He returned his hand to her waist and leaned his head against hers.

"There," he said, "That's better."

Carly relaxed into the slow rhythm of the song. This was nice, strangely enough. Dean was softly humming along with the music. Carly found herself thinking about how pleasant his voice was, in its own rough way. She wouldn't have guessed it, but Dean Ambrose was a very comfortable person. And he smelled nice, too; sort of warm and clean, like whatever soap he used, maybe? Who knew. And anyway, what an odd train of thought that was.

Carly noticed that he had stopped humming. She lifted her head to look up at him. He smiled at her, and there was a tired, contented look in his eyes that probably had something to do with the amount of alcohol he'd consumed tonight.

"You're not falling asleep on me, are you?" she asked wryly.

"No," said Dean.

"Good," said Carly teasingly, "I thought I might be boring you."

"A girl as crazy as you could never be boring, Carly," he said.

"Gee, thanks," said Carly, grimacing.

She was suddenly aware that the song had ended a few seconds ago, but Dean hadn't let go. Neither had she, for that matter. Before she could say anything, they both noticed Seth and Roman walking over to them.

"Come on," Roman said, "They're kicking us out."

"What? There's no way it's already two in the morning," said Dean.

"Let's go, boys," said Seth, throwing his arms around Dean and Roman, "To the victors goes the sleep."

Carly wasn't sure what possessed Dean to start singing "We Are the Champions" on the walk back to the hotel, but before she knew it all three of the boys were belting it out at the top of their lungs. She tried to hush them up at first, because the last thing they needed was to get the cops called on them for disturbing the peace or something. However, by the end of it, she found herself singing along with the chorus as loudly as any of them. Roman eventually managed to get everyone quieted down as they stood outside the hotel doors.

"I'll say goodnight to you guys here," said Carly.

"Aren't you coming in?" asked Roman.

"Not yet," said Carly, "It's nice out tonight, and I'm not that tired. You three should get to bed, though."

She wished each of them a good night's sleep with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Carly usually wasn't quite as physically affectionate as the boys were. But for some reason (perhaps the fact that everyone's emotional filter shuts down around 2 AM) she just really wanted to let them know how much she cared about them.

When the Shield had gone inside, Carly went and sat down on the grass median in the parking lot. She liked cities at night, especially on warm, breezy nights like this. The sounds of the distant highway were only a faint hum in the background. It was too bright to see many stars, but the golden streetlights were rather lovely shining through the branches of the maple trees.

Carly sighed and hugged her knees to her chest. Now that they boys were gone, she could focus on worrying again. Not that she wasn't happy about how well the Shield had performed tonight. It wasn't that at all. It was just…

She looked up as she heard the hotel door opening. To her surprise, Seth stepped outside. He glanced around the parking lot. When he spotted Carly, he walked over and sat down next to her.

"You should be in bed," said Carly.

"Hello to you, too," Seth retorted mildly.

"You have to work tomorrow," said Carly.

"Tomorrow _night_," he corrected, "I could sleep all day if I wanted to."

"True," Carly admitted reluctantly, "Dean and Roman?"

"They about passed out the second their heads hit the pillows," said Seth, "They're sleeping like the dead."

"So why aren't you?" she asked.

"I'm not tired," said Seth.

"Liar," Carly muttered.

"So what if I am?" Seth said, smirking, "I wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked kinda preoccupied."

"I am," said Carly.

She leaned her head back, squinting at the faint stars. She could only make out one constellation behind all that light pollution - Cassiopeia. Carly had grown up knowing it as "the queen's chair." Ever since she was little, she imagined what it would be like to sit on it, up there among the stars. Later she'd learned the story of how the queen was chained in the sky as punishment for her arrogance. The throne didn't seem quite as welcoming after that. But somehow, she had never quite given up the dream of taking it.

"What are you so worried about?" said Seth, his voice breaking across her thoughts, "We won."

"We won _tonight_," said Carly, "What happens tomorrow?"

"We keep fighting," Seth shrugged.

"Yeah, but for how long?" Carly turned to look at him, brows furrowed seriously, "Where does this story end? Like it or not, Seth, Triple H really does hold all the cards. Look at what the Authority's done to you guys. And it's not just you. They're hurting everyone in this company. You saw what happened to Daniel Bryan. They very well may have _ended his career_ because he stood up to them. It's smaller things, too. Younger, talented wrestlers get overlooked in favor of egocentric veterans who can't stand not being the center of attention. They entire women's division gets neglected for months at a time, and who even knows why? The Authority has to be stopped."

Seth's expression grew more serious as he listened to Carly talk. He looked down at his hands, twisting blades of grass between his fingertips.

"I know," he said quietly, "I've been thinking the same things. I didn't want to bring it up, because I didn't want you or Dean or Roman to worry. But you're right. They have to be stopped."

"It's the Kobayashi Maru we're talking about here," said Carly, "It's an unwinnable situation, unless… unless we can change the rules somehow. How, though? Only something really drastic would have any chance of even affecting the Authority."

"I've thought about that, too," said Seth. His face grew grim, almost guarded-looking. Then he looked up quickly and smiled at Carly, "I'm thinking of a plan. I just haven't worked out all the details yet. It won't be easy, but I don't believe in no-win scenarios either. Don't worry, Carly. I'm going to take the Authority down if it kills me. Now, come on. We're both lying about not being tired, and the sun's gonna come up if we stay out here much longer."

"So the sun won't come up if we go inside?" Carly grinned.

"You know what I meant," said Seth.

xXx

The Shield walked into the arena before the show on Monday still feeling their victory, but they were also on edge. There was no way they were going to make it through the night without some sort of obstacle thrown in their path. It was only a matter of time before they found out what.

Seth stopped in his tracks as they got through the door, patting down his pockets.

"Aww, man. I think I left my cell phone in the car," he said, "Can I have the keys, Roman?"

"Sure," said Roman, tossing them to Seth.

Carly, Dean, and Roman went to the locker rooms while Seth headed back out to the parking lot. The atmosphere was tense all around. A lot of battles had gone down the night before, and whatever way they had ended, there was somebody left unsatisfied.

Carly was still trying her best not to worry. Dean and Roman were clearly unconcerned. In fact, Dean had gotten so animated with the story he was telling Roman that he accidentally knocked a plate of food out of Carly's hands. Dean's profuse apologies where not to be believed, given how hard he was laughing. She hurried back down to catering before all the good stuff was gone.

On the way back to the locker rooms, Carly narrowly avoided having her plate flipped again by a whole mess of Rosebuds. She flattened herself against the wall as they rampaged by, watching to see what costumes they had tonight. But that was strange. In the hallway across from her, the one that lead past the offices, Carly could've sworn she saw Seth. That didn't make any sense. The offices were nowhere near the parking lot. When the Rosebuds had all passed, Seth was nowhere in sight. He was, however, already with Dean and Roman when she got back, so she must have been imagining things.

It appeared the Shield wouldn't have to wait long to learn their fate, as Triple H started out the broadcast by making an announcement.

"Last night," he said, "Evolution and the Shield engaged in an unforgettable war. And at the end of it, those three were extremely lucky. But the Shield should know that luck has a habit of changing. And considering the fact that, at the end of the night tonight, the three of them are going to be in six-man competition against the Wyatt family, I'd be willing to say their luck has run out."

All eyes turned to Seth. His mouth was set in a grim line. He glanced at each of them, then pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against.

"Dean, get us out of here," Seth ordered.

"Roger that," said Dean.

"Roman, make sure we aren't followed," Seth continued, "We need to vanish."

As Carly followed, she soon began to worry. This wasn't the Shield's usual ducking off into a dark hallway routine. Dean's path took sharp turns, doubled back on itself, and eventually had them cutting through the parking garage and slipping back in through a door that led them into a maintenance hallway.

"This is far enough," said Seth, bring them all to a halt.

"Alright, Seth," said Dean, "What's with the disappearing act?"

"I… what?" Seth blinked in confusion.

"That crazy game of follow-the-leader we just played," said Dean, "What was that all about?"

"We're gonna lay low until the match, that's all," said Seth.

"You mean we're _hiding_?" Dean said incredulously, "Seth, we don't back down from anybody. What's the matter with you? We just beat them yesterday, and you're running scared from-"

"I know!" shouted Seth.

He'd been on edge this whole time, but had managed to stay in control until that accusation of cowardice had gotten him to boil over. Dean and Roman glanced at each other in confusion. Neither of them was as concerned about the situation as Carly had been the night before, or as Seth was now.

"Look," he said, "You gotta understand, Dean. Triple H has the upper hand tonight. I don't know if he's just handing us over to the Wyatts so they'll do his dirty work, or if Evolution's gonna come after us themselves, or what. But I do know that they can't take us out before the match if they can't find us. We aren't running away from anybody. We're choosing our battles. You brought me on to be the practical, strategic one, right? That's what I'm doing."

"Whoa, calm down," said Dean, grabbing Seth's shoulder, "I'm not trying to start something with you. You know me, Seth. I'm a 'damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead' kind of guy. But if you think this is the best course of action, then I trust you, buddy. Alright?"

"Alright," Seth said, "Sorry, Dean."

"No worries, huh?" said Dean.

He grinned and gave Seth a quick hug around the neck, and Seth returned a smile that looked only slightly strained. Carly noticed Roman was watching Seth closely. Roman could be uncannily perceptive about people sometimes, so if he was aware that something was bothering Seth, it must be something out of the ordinary. Carly guessed that what she and Seth had talked about the night before was still preying on his mind. Whatever his endgame was, it must not be complete enough to be shared, so Carly decided not to mention it.

"You could've at least picked a hide-out with a better view," Dean said, glancing around the maze of ductwork and cleaning equipment.

"That just goes to show you have no taste," Seth said loftily, counter snark with facetious snark, "All the best secret lairs are industrial-chic."

"Industrial-chic? You just made that up," Dean scoffed.

"Oh yeah?" said Seth, "What would you know about interior decorating?"

"A lot more than you, pal. I've seen your apartment," said Dean, folding his arms.

"_My _apartment? Like you can talk. Did you hop in the DeLorean to pick up that wallpaper from the 80's?"

Carly and Roman glanced at each other and smiled. They both knew that the amount of sarcasm that ricocheted between those two could be used as a sort of barometer of their mood. If Dean and Seth had found something harmless to bicker about, then all was right with the world.

Carly noticed a pencil lying on the floor. She grabbed it and sat down, sketching out a tic-tac-to grid on the concrete floor. She drew an X in one of the corners, then looked up at Roman, holding out the pencil to him. He grinned and sat down beside her, and proceeded to beat her in seven games before Dean and Seth finished snarking at each other. The game switched to hangman at that point, which Carly won more often than not. Seth and Dean, annoyed with getting repeatedly executed, protested that she was making up words and forced Roman to look them up on his phone before they were convinced.

As the time for the match grew near, the Shield turned their focus to stretching out and warming up. Carly worked on erasing some of the mess they'd made. She decided to leave the phrase 'Hunter is a posturing, potato-faced ignoramus', though, and the series of games that had consisted of coming up with insults towards Brad Maddox.

"Hey, Carly?" said Seth.

Carly looked up to see the boys standing in front of her. She got to her feet, brushing the dust off her jeans.

"What's up?" she asked.

"When we go out for the match," he said, "You gotta promise that you'll find someplace safe, and then stay out of sight."

"We don't know what we're walking into, and we aren't at one-hundred percent," said Roman, "And it'd be a load off our minds if we know that you're not gonna be in danger."

Carly nearly said that was ridiculous. She nearly told them that they shouldn't worry about her, but she knew they would anyway. She nearly said that it didn't matter what happened to her, but she knew how upset she was any time one of them was hurt.

Every time she needed them, the Shield wouldn't hesitate. Roman would challenge Batista. Dean would tear Randy Orton apart. Seth would risk his career. For _her_. Just like she would do anything for them. Just like they would do anything for each other. Carly had always seen herself as somewhat separate from the boys, because she wasn't part of the Shield. But she was starting to realize that they had never made that distinction. No, Carly wasn't a member of the Shield, but she was still family to them. And so she smothered all her protests and nodded.

"Alright," she said, "You know I don't like hiding either, but I know you're right."

The last thing she wanted to do was be a hindrance to the Shield when they were already walking into what was probably a trap. They all looked a little relieved, like they'd been expecting more of a fight. That made Carly feel both a little ashamed, and a little proud of herself for making progress in this whole 'friendship' thing.

"You don't have to look so surprised," she said, a bit self-consciously.

"Attagirl, Carly," said Dean, grinning and throwing an arm around her shoulders, "You're learning. Listening to Seth is usually the best option."

"You said _usually _there, when I think you meant _always_," said Seth, "Listening to me is _always _the best option."

"I'm sorry, whose idea were the turtlenecks?"

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you? Come on, man! I had to come up with something in, like, an hour. Stupid uniforms were a week late in the mail."

With a new argument to lift their spirits, the Shield and Carly went backstage. Carly felt a little more optimistic about things to come. The Shield could bounce back from pretty much anything, and they'd always come back swinging. They'd get through this, even if tonight was gonna hurt and there was nothing she could do about it. She sent them off to make their entrance with hugs for luck.

"Stay safe," Seth called to her.

"Look after each other," she called back.

"Always do," Roman nodded, smiling.

Dean just blew her a kiss. As soon as they were out of sight, apprehension settled into Carly's stomach like a brick. But she was going to keep her promise and make herself scarce. First things first, though. Carly retrieved a kendo stick from storage, just in case.

She had to find someplace where she could hide, but it couldn't be someplace isolated. Then there'd be no help for her if she was discovered. She snuck over to the women's locker room and listened. It didn't sound like there was anyone inside. Most people didn't hang out in there, and most of the women had already gone back to their hotels anyway. Carly slipped inside and settled herself behind a bank of lockers where she couldn't be seen from the door, but where she could still keep an eye on the monitor.

The match was starting. Carly laid the kendo stick down behind her and settled in to wait for the inevitable. And boy did it happen, but not from the direction she'd expected.

She sat perfectly still when she heard somebody walk into the locker room. It was nothing to worry about. Probably just someone looking for something they'd forgotten. But then Carly heard the door shut and the click of the lock being turned.

"We know you're in here, Carly," Alicia Fox called out in a sing-song voice, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Carly bit her tongue to keep from swearing aloud. She didn't know how the trio of she-devils had found her, but of course they had. Once again, she was cornered with nowhere to run. But the fact that they'd locked the door was comforting, in a bizarre way. Maybe they were going to kick the living daylights out of her again, but at least the Shield wouldn't find out about it until after their match. As far as they knew, she was safe and they didn't have to worry.

Eva Marie's fire-engine red hair suddenly appeared as she leaned around the corner. Her mouth turned up in a gloating grin, but Carly stared levelly at her without reacting at all. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

"Ladies," Eva Marie called, "I found her."

Alicia Fox and Rosa Mendez walked up beside her, and the three of them smiled down at Carly. She felt like a mouse surrounded by hungry cats. At this rate, she was going to forget what it was like to live without getting knocked around at least once a week.

"So you're gonna beat me up in a locker room now?" Carly said sarcastically, "What do you think this is, high school?"

"You don't have to be rude about it," said Alicia, plunking herself down on one of the benches, "We're just here to watch the match with you, that's all. Popcorn?"

She smiled and held out a nearly full container.

"No. And I hope you choke on it," Carly said disdainfully.

"Suit yourself," Alicia shrugged, taking a handful for herself.

"Not very ladylike, Carly," said Rosa, as she and Eva Marie sat down next to Alicia.

"I'll show you just how unladylike I can be if the three of you don't shut up," Carly growled.

They shrugged unconcernedly, but were silent. Carly turned her attention back to the monitor. Seth, injured arm and all, had been making headway against the Wyatts until he was shoved off the top rope and went crashing to the ground beside the announcers' table. Carly was careful to keep her face blank. She wasn't about to let these three see just how worried she was.

Dean and Roman were getting concerned now, as Seth was getting thoroughly dismantled. He still had enough life in him to kick out, though, and where there's life, there's hope.

Oh wait, nevermind. A brawl had broken out ringside after Dean leapt in to save Seth and keep the match going. Dean was in trouble, Roman might be unconscious, and Seth was fading fast. On top of that, Carly's trio of tormentors seemed to be enjoying themselves, curse them. Carly tried to focus on breathing, on staying calm.

Oh, thank God. Roman was still in this. Seth managed to make the tag to him, and he came in swinging. Roman made short work of the entire creepy bunch. When he was ambushed after signaling for a Superman punch, Dean and Seth sent Harper and Rowan crashing over the announcers' table. If Roman could just manage to end this, maybe there was still a chance to walk away from this night without any trouble.

This was it. All three of them were in the ring now, setting up for a triple-powerbomb. And then Carly's hope was dashed to pieces.

Evolution. Of course.

But as they came down to the ring, the Shield was equal to the challenge. Somehow, they rallied. Dean and Seth took out Harper, Rowan, Orton, and Batista with one hell of a suicide dive while Roman hit Trips with a Superman punch.

And it was all too good to last. Bray Wyatt, that cockroach, hit Roman out of nowhere. Sister Abigail, one-two-three, and it was over. Only, it wasn't really over.

It was the most sickening sense of déjà-vu Carly had ever experienced. She sat in silence as despair and rage froze and scorched her every time she exhaled, inhaled. She'd seen this all before. The Shield, all but helpless, was being torn to pieces. Dean crashed into the steel steps. Seth was DDT'd from the top rope. Roman fought his way out of a Pedigree only to be hit with an RKO and then Pedigree'd, regardless.

The Shield was crumpled wreckage in the ring. Evolution had proved its point. Surely now they would swagger off to their shiny cars in triumph.

No. No, they wouldn't.

Struck dumb in disbelief, Carly watched as Triple H and Orton hauled Roman to his knees. There was no way. They weren't doing this. They couldn't be. Batista roared in a mocking imitation of Roman and then-

Carly closed her eyes until she heard Roman's body crashing down into the mat. She couldn't stand to watch Evolution – those cowardly, sadistic thugs – do that to him. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she watched them stand over him, in a cruel parody of the Shield. There was blood on Roman's mouth.

Rage won out in Carly's mind. And those three women beside her – those hell-hated harpies – had the gall to _laugh_.

"Well, that was fun," said Alicia, "Same time next week, girls?"

"But first," said Eva Marie, "Let's not forget to give Carly something to remember us by."

The other two started to reply, but now it was there turn to be frozen in confusion as Carly began to laugh. The harsh, mirthless sound of it grew louder as Carly's hand closed the hilt of the kendo stick and she slowly got to her feet. It was payback time.

"Ladies," said Carly, fixing them with a paralyzing glare, "You picked the wrong day to mess with me."

They shrieked, stumbling over each other in panic as they tried to stay out of range. Carly charged at them and swung the kendo stick. She only managed to clip their shoulders once or twice. They fled blindly, and found themselves cornered in the showers.

Carly paused. Much as she wanted to take out her aggression on these convenient targets, and much as they probably deserved it, she had better places to be. Namely, with the Shield.

"If you ever lay a hand on me again," said Carly, pointing the kendo stick at them threateningly, "If you even come near me, I may forget to be nice."

Carly hit the button on the wall that switched on all the showers, and contented herself with listening to their shrieks of dismay. Revenge could wait. The boys were more important to her by far. She unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway, trying to remember where the trainers' room was in this arena. Suddenly, an arm locked around her neck in a sleeper hold.

"You know what they say," Paige's voice remarked, "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

"You have to be joking," Carly choked as she struggled to free herself.

There was no way she was going to get knocked out in the hallway. But try as she might, Carly couldn't loosen Paige's hold. Pressure was building up in her skull. Her vision was getting fuzzy. Her head felt like it was about to explode.

Suddenly, Paige released her and Carly dropped to the floor. She dimly heard Paige screech and somebody else shouting. Her vision cleared just in time to see Naomi kick Paige in the face. Stunned, Paige stumbled against the wall before staggering off.

"Yeah, you better run," Naomi shouted after her.

Carly leaned against the wall, holding her head in her hands. It felt like someone was pounding on her skull like it was an anvil. Naomi knelt down next to her.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I will be, probably," Carly mumbled.

"Getting put in a sleeper choke sucks," said Naomi, rubbing Carly's back sympathetically, "You'll be alright in a minute. I know you probably would've liked to kick Paige in the face yourself, but-"

"Oh, no, by all means, thank you for saving me," Carly smiled faintly, "I'll get her some other time, when I'm actually conscious."

"If you're looking for the Shield," said Naomi, "They just got taken back to the trainers' room."

"Which way is it?" asked Carly.

"Here," said Naomi, as she helped Carly to stand, "I can show you."

"I'd appreciate it," Carly said gratefully.

She leaned on Naomi's arm as they walked. She was still a little dizzy, and her head hadn't quite stopped pounding yet. Just one Monday night without being kidnapped or beaten up. Was that too much to ask? Clearly it was, in this company.

"I can take it from here," she said, when they neared the trainers' room, "Thank you again, Naomi."

"Not a problem," Naomi smiled, "See you around, Carly."

Carly paused a moment to straighten herself out. She didn't want to walk in there looking like she'd been attacked. If she had to tell them the story at all, she'd tell them about it later.

"Seriously, Roman, will you just take it easy? We're okay," Seth's voice spilled into the hallway.

"When I get my hands on those three, I'm gonna kill them for what they-" Roman's voice broke off as he cried out in pain.

"See, _that's _why you gotta hold still. Now would you calm down and shut up already?" The irritated tone of Dean's scolding was a clear sign that he was honestly concerned about Roman.

"Nobody's heard from Carly?" Roman asked more quietly.

"We told her to hide," Seth replied, "If we haven't heard anything about her, it probably means she's fine."

Inside the trainers' room, Roman was laying on the table, with Seth sitting nearby and Dean standing beside him, all three being patched up by the medics. Thank God they seemed to be no worse hurt than she'd seen them before, small comfort though that was. Dean, who was looking towards the door, spotted Carly first.

"See, boys?" said Dean, "Here she is now."

It was a weight off Carly's mind to see them conscious and talking, when she'd last seen them motionless on the floor, Roman in particular. He had so much fight in him, it was especially hard to see him beaten and bloodied like that. He turned his head to look at Carly, seeming relieved to see her in one piece. She leaned down quickly to kiss his forehead before stepping out of the medics' way.

"Carly," said Seth, "You are a sight for sore eyes. And sore everything else."

He grinned ruefully at her, wincing as the medic wrapped up his arm. Seth was such an exuberant puppy in personality, and he always looked the part after matches with how fluffy his hair ended up. It made Carly's blood boil to think that the men of Evolution were monstrous enough to enjoy causing him pain.

"You poor guys have been through hell," said Carly, gently putting a hand on Seth's shoulder and kissing him on the cheek.

"We're getting pretty familiar with the territory," said Dean.

As the medic tightened the bandages on his ribs, Dean gasped sharply. But he was quick to compose himself. He took a deep breath as he sat down and laughed through gritted teeth, then noticed the worried look on Carly's face.

"Don't you worry about me, darling," he said, winking at her with a roguish smile, "I'll be fireproof one of these days."

Carly laughed in spite of herself. Typical Dean Ambrose. Few things were weighty enough to keep his spirits down for long. She truly believed he'd be wisecracking with his final breath. Carly gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss against the side of his head.

"Well, I guess I wouldn't object to you worrying a _little_," he said.

"Good," said Carly, "Because I was going to anyway."

"You saw?" asked Seth as he got to his feet, cautiously testing out his injured arm.

"I saw," Carly grimaced, "All of it."

"Well, it's not like we weren't expecting this," Seth sighed.

"I hope they know this means war," said Dean, the fire coming back into his eyes.

"They know," Roman said grimly, "And this time we're gonna make sure to put them out of business permanently."

"We'll worry about that later," said Seth, "Carly, looks like you managed to stay safe?"

"More or less," said Carly. She was hesitant to explain the whole thing, but their questioning looks demanded some sort of answer, "Everything was fine in the end. I made sure my troubles had troubles with me. Come on, let's get you guys home so you can rest. We'll talk strategy in the morning."

"That's my line," Seth muttered.

**(Note: Thank you to the people who left reviews! You're all awesome.)**


	12. Same Old Song

**Same Old Song**

"Not wasting any time, are they?" Carly said flatly.

They'd just gotten word on the lineup for tonight's Smackdown. Somehow, the Shield was always only informed at the last possible moment. The matches would be Dean Ambrose vs. Cesaro, Roman Reigns vs. Mark Henry, and Seth Rollins vs. Batista. One of these things was not like the others.

"How come they put me and Roman against, I dunno, _arbitraries_," said Dean, "But Seth is up against Batista?"

"I wouldn't exactly call Mark Henry arbitrary," Roman raised an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," said Dean, "They've got nothing to do with Evolution. Batista, on the other hand."

Dean and Roman looked expectantly at Seth, who simply shrugged and threw up his hands.

"I don't know what to tell you," he said, "Triple H is playing games. Surprise, surprise. They day I get ahead of him is the day we shut down the Authority for good. Today, on the other hand, is just gonna suck for us."

"One thing to be optimistic about," said Carly, "They're not Evolution, so they _probably_ won't cheat."

"Well, thank God for small mercies," Dean retorted sarcastically.

Dean and Cesaro had what the commentators would refer to as a very physical match. In layman's terms, that meant that both of them beat the living hell out of each other, and Dean only lost by a hair. He stumbled backstage, sore and dizzy from being spun around by his ankles. Seth and Roman helped him along to where the Shield had set up camp backstage. Carly, inspired by Natalya's skill in lock-picking, had taught herself the trade, and thereby secured them a dressing room complete with couches instead of their usual dark hallways. She figured it was the least she could do to help keep them comfortable between matches, since the boys were still trying to bounce back from the thrashing they'd taken on Monday.

Dean groaned pathetically and threw himself down on the couch beside Carly. He swung his feet up onto the cushion and slumped sideways, ending up sprawled across her lap. Carly threw up her hands and looked down at him in exasperation, even though she knew he couldn't see it. He was a panting, sweaty, heat-radiating mess.

"Wake up me when the room stops spinning, okay?" he said.

"Do I look like a pillow to you?" she asked.

Dean just mumbled something Carly couldn't quite make out and nestled himself more comfortably against her. More comfortably for him, at least. What a baby.

"Seth, Roman, little help?" she said, looking imploringly at them.

"Sorry, Carly," Seth grinned, "Better you than me."

"I have a match coming up," said Roman, "Don't worry about him. If he's feeling well enough to be melodramatic, he'll be fine soon."

"Oh, alright," said Carly, giving an exaggerated sigh.

As usual, she didn't _actually _mind Dean's total disregard for personal space that much. She'd long since grown accustomed to it. But he was really warm right now, and kinda heavy. Still, he had just been in a pretty rough match, so Carly supposed she'd tolerate the situation. For now. She rubbed his back soothingly.

"You're worse than a cat, Dean," she said.

In true Dean Ambrose fashion, he stretched slightly and began making purring noises. Seth and Roman shot each other a long-suffering glance and shook their heads, while Carly bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Why do I put up with you?" she said under her breath.

"'Cause you like me," came Dean's muffled reply.

"No, that can't be it," Carly said thoughtfully, shaking her head.

The honest truth of the matter was Carly was glad that everybody was still in pretty good spirits for the moment. She knew that she worried about things more than the Shield did, except perhaps for Seth. But everybody seemed to be trying to make the best of a rough night.

Seth and Roman grew a little more serious as Roman's match drew closer, discussing strategies to use against the behemoth that was Mark Henry. Roman and Seth were the ones Carly was most worried about tonight. Dean and Cesaro had been pretty evenly matched, and though it'd been a hard fight, Dean hadn't lost badly. Mark Henry, on the other hand, would be a challenge for the strength of Roman Reigns even on a good day. And today Roman was far from being at the top of his game. He'd taken the worst of it on Monday. Carly's blood still boiled at the thought of it. Whatever plan Seth had in the works, she hoped he'd get it finalized so they could put it into motion, and soon.

With a few final pointers from Seth and a wish of luck from Carly, Roman was off. Carly took a deep breath. There wasn't anything she could do about this match. It was fair, more or less. She shouldn't worry about it. She shouldn't worry about Roman. Oh, what was the use. She was _extremely _worried about Roman.

Dean lifted his head and looked over at Seth.

"Hey, do you think Mark Henry remembers all the times we ganged up on him?" he asked.

"All the times you what?" said Carly.

"We weren't always the good guys, Carly," Seth said ruefully.

"Oh. Right," said Carly. She hadn't know them then, so it was easy for her to forget, "Well, neither was I."

"True," said Seth, smiling faintly, "But you never handed out three-on-one beatdowns. Yeah, Dean, I'm pretty sure he remembers."

Dean swore quietly and let his head drop back onto Carly's lap. Oh boy. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Carly and the rest of the Shield watched the monitor in somewhat anxious silence. Roman was fighting valiantly, but he was clearly struggling. He clutched his ribs and leaned against the ropes, nearly doubling over in pain. Mark Henry noticed this and capitalized on it. Carly despised the practice of targeting an opponent's injury. On top of that, Mark Henry's trash-talking was getting to her. She wanted to find some excuse to hit him across the mouth.

He had Roman wrapped around the ring post and was putting as much pressure as possible on his ribs. Dean, who had finally sat up when the match started, was wringing his hands in agitation. Even Seth looked tense. Roman was coughing now, hardly able to stand, hardly able to keep the agony from registering on his face.

Carly felt sick. Seeing the unstoppable Roman Reigns hurt was maddeningly distressing. She'd had no opinion on Mark Henry before. Now she hated the infernal creature with all her soul for hurting Roman. This wasn't a match. This was torture.

Roman summoned up the remains of his strength and clotheslined Mark Henry, but the effort nearly did him in and Henry was quick to retaliate. A current of horror snapped through the watchers as Henry climbed up on the ropes, intent on crushing Roman like a bug. But somehow, in Roman's infinite resilience, he lifted Mark Henry onto his shoulders and sent him crashing to the mat with a Samoan drop.

Carly, Seth, and Dean leaned forward in their seats, hardly daring to breathe. Roman, his eyes alight with some sort of battle-fury, dragged himself upright. He threw back his head and roared. With the last of his strength, he speared Mark Henry and put him down once and for all.

Seth shouted and punched the air. All the anxious tension slid out of Dean, and he slumped forward, resting his head in his hands. Carly started to laugh, more out of relief and sheer nerves than out of happiness, before pressing her hand to her mouth. Thank goodness that was over quickly.

"Should we go to the trainers' room?" asked Carly.

"Yeah," said Dean, getting to his feet, "Better make sure he's alright. Seth, aren't you coming?"

He and Carly were nearly out the door before realizing that Seth hadn't moved.

"I need some time to focus," Seth said apologetically, "I have a feeling this is gonna be a rough one for me, too."

"I gotcha," Dean nodded, seeming to understand, "Good luck out there, huh? Don't let him shoot you out of the sky."

"Right," Seth grinned.

"You sure you'll be okay, Seth?" asked Carly.

Seth waved his hand dismissively.

"Sure I'm sure. Just have all the kings horses and all the kings men on standby in case he breaks me into pieces. Wow, okay, apparently that was the wrong thing to say," he backpedaled when he saw the distressed look on Carly's face, "Gallows humor, Carly. Relax. Go take care of Roman. I'll be fine."

He flashed her a reassuring smile, and she hurried to catch up with Dean.

"Don't worry about Seth," said Dean, putting an arm around her shoulders, "Even if things go south for him, you know how tough he is."

"I know," Carly admitted.

She still didn't look forward to seeing another one of her boys thoroughly dismantled tonight. Roman lay on a table in the trainers' room. His eyes were closed and his face was pale. He looked exhausted. The medics had taken his vest off and were examining his ribs and chest. Roman winced every time they touched him. The assault by Evolution had left him with bruised ribs. Carly just hoped beyond all hope that tonight hadn't left him with broken ones. Dean shifted his weight nervously. He hated seeing Roman hurt even more than Carly did.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Dean called when he couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"It doesn't look like there've been any breaks, thankfully," one of the medics replied, "He'll be hurting for a while, but he'll be fine."

Roman's eyes opened slowly and he looked over at Dean and Carly with a faint smile.

"Nobody's gonna take me down without some serious Kryptonite," he said.

"And anybody with Kryptonite's gotta get through me first," Dean grinned, "Easy, take it easy. I got you."

Dean helped Roman to sit up, and then carefully helped him put the vest back on. Roman's face grew paler with the exertion, but he breathed through it. One of the medics passed Carly an ice-pack.

"Alright," the medic said, "You three know the drill about taking care of injured ribs."

"Right," said Carly, "Ice, ibuprofen, and rest."

"Like the last one is gonna happen," Dean said under his breath.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," the medic said drily.

Dean gingerly helped Roman to his feet and pulled Roman's arm around his shoulders. Carly did the same on Roman's other side. As they made their way back to the dressing room, Carly noticed that Roman was consciously avoiding putting any weight on her shoulders.

"You know, Roman," she said mildly, "You _can _lean on me, too. That's why I'm here."

Roman complied wordlessly. Carly assumed he didn't have the breath to spare for talking. He was much heavier than Carly had anticipated, and even though she struggled a little to support him, she was glad that he'd let her help. A regard for others' welfare in spite of any personal pain was Roman Reigns through and through, but it made Carly worry about him something fierce.

Seth was already gone by the time they returned. Dean settled Roman on one of the couches with orders to lay still so he could ice his injured ribs. Roman, still rather quiet even for him, obeyed and closed his eyes again. Dean turned the volume down on the monitor and sat down next to Carly on the other couch.

"Weird," said Dean, shaking his head, "Evolution's chosen champion for the night is _Batista_."

"Well, he was the one who got pinned on Sunday," said Carly, "Maybe it's a question of honor, or something."

"Princess, where Evolution is concerned," said Dean, "Honor's got nothing to do with it."

Dean was probably right. If Batista was trying to prove something, he would've gone up against Roman instead. But to have a match against Seth? No, that was just Evolution trying to make an example of the Shield once again.

The match started off evenly enough. If Carly had been an objective viewer, she would have found it interesting to watch the contrasting styles, with Batista's strength and Seth's agility. But she was far from objective. Carly and Dean tried to silence their reactions to avoid disturbing Roman. This was easier said than done.

Batista swatted Seth down like he was a dragonfly, and Seth was just able to rally enough to kick Batista out of the ring and give him a chance to recover. Batista, curse his veteran's savvy, dragged himself out of the way before Seth could set up a suicide dive. But that was probably for the best. Seth was smart enough to know not to take unnecessary risks while he was injured.

Only no, apparently he wasn't. Dean had to bite his fist to keep from shouting as Seth, trying to slide across the ring to kick Batista before he could climb back in, got caught under the ring skirt and got thoroughly pummeled. This was bad. Without room to maneuver, Seth was in trouble.

Batista threw Seth back onto the apron, only to kick and elbow him in the head. Seth was clutching at the side of his neck, a motion Dean was unconsciously imitating. Carly just hoped he hadn't injured it. But Batista, curse his lack of scruples, hit Seth with a neckbreaker and tossed him out of the ring.

Carly and Dean both flinched as Batista hurled Seth against the steel steps. Seth slumped to the ground, his eyes closed, seeming unable to even drag himself to his knees. Batista threw him back in the ring, going after his neck once again before throwing Seth facefirst into the turnbuckle and then going after his injured arm. At that moment, Carly would've very much liked to give Batista a few injuries of his own, and, judging by the look on Dean's face, he felt the same.

The match went on, and Batista continued to throw Seth around like a ragdoll. The pained expression on Seth's face made Carly's heart ache. Dean's shaking hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.

Miracle of miracles, Seth dodged a charge by Batista, letting him run himself headfirst into the steel post. Seth rallied, clotheslining, punching, and stomping on Batista as he was trapped in the corner. At the ref's five-count, Seth stepped back and let out a hoarse roar.

"Come on, Seth," Dean urged through gritted teeth, "Yes!"

Dean punched the air as Seth hit Batista with some incredible, acrobatic move that Carly didn't even know the name of. From there, it was all Seth for a few glorious moments. He was on the offensive, slipping away from everything Batista tried to hit him with and always landing on his feet. Batista caught Seth with a spinebuster and set him up for a Batista bomb? Seth fought out and leapt over Batista's shoulders, landing like a cat and sending Batista tumbling outside the ring with an enzuigiri.

Good. Batista was down and out. That would give Seth time to recover, and to hopefully let Batista get counting out. Unfortunately, Seth was infinitely less pragmatic than Carly gave him credit for. That _idiot_, what was he thinking? Seth was climbing up onto the turnbuckle to execute God knows what crazy stunt.

Carly pressed her hands over her mouth. Seth leapt from the top rope. Batista dodged, and Seth went crashing headfirst into the announcers' table. A muffled shriek escaped Carly's lips. Dean cursed loudly. Seth was done for.

Batista dragged himself back into the ring at the count of 8, and Seth, facedown on the ground where he had landed, was counted out. Dean raked his fingers through his hair and sighed forcefully, and Carly slumped back in her seat. What a disaster. Seth probably had new injuries, thanks to that lout, Batista. But it was over now. The medics would take care of Seth, and –

No, it wasn't over. Why was it never over when it came to Seth? That vulture, that absolute _monster _had knocked the medics aside and thrown Seth back in the ring. Sickened with rage, Dean and Carly watched as the already beaten Seth was thoroughly demolished with a Batista bomb.

"I'm gonna kill him," Dean muttered, "I'm gonna tear him to shreds with my bare hands."

"Promise you'll let me help," said Carly.

"I guess it was bad?" Roman asked.

He sat up, wincing, but he looked a little better than he did earlier. Some of the color had come back to his face, at least.

"Could've been worse," Dean said, which was feeble reassurance, "Still, be glad you didn't have to watch it."

Seth's superhuman luck was apparently still on his side, as he escaped the evening with nothing worse than a pulled muscle in his neck and a massive headache. With Carly acting as porter and Dean helping Roman along, they were able to get him and Seth out to the car and back to the hotel. After Seth and Roman got changed, Dean and Carly settled both wounded boys into bed, with only minimal protestations from Seth.

"I could've gotten that myself," said Seth, "You don't have to baby me, Carly. I'm not hurt that bad."

"Then stop acting like a child and take the medicine," said Carly.

"You'd never make it as a nurse," Seth retorted.

But he reluctantly accepted the cup of water and Motrin from her, downing both pills and water in one gulp and slamming the cup emphatically onto the nightstand. Carly made a face at him. If Seth was feeling well enough to sass at her, he was probably going to be fine. Roman was far more cooperative, murmuring a thank-you before swallowing the pills.

Seth wrinkled his nose and sighed in exasperation when Carly approached him with an ice-pack, but he lay back and let her settle it against his neck without complaining. Carly went around to the other side of the bed and placed another ice-pack where Roman indicated on his ribs. Poor Roman. Carly smoothed a stray lock of hair away from his face.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked gently.

"Nothing I can't handle. I've had worse," he said with a tired smile.

"You ask him but not me?" Seth muttered, seeming to sulk a little.

Carly gave a short, incredulous laugh. Goodness, Seth could be moody sometimes. She marched back to his side of the bed and folded her arms, leveling a mild glare down at him.

"Well, maybe if you weren't being so difficult," she said.

"Who's being difficult?" said Seth, "You're the one who's making a fuss."

"Because I had to watch you two get murdered. Again," Carly said heatedly, "And who was it that lectured me about letting you guys help? Oh, that's right. It was _you_, Seth. So the least you could do is let me help, if only for my own peace of mind."

Seth opened his mouth as if to argue, then closed it, furrowed his brows, and folded his arms across his chest.

"I actually can't argue with that," he admitted.

"Darn right you can't," said Carly, a little more gently, "Now if you could put the stubbornness on hold for just fifteen minutes so I can make sure that ice stays on long enough, then I'll get out of your hair and leave you in peace."

"Yes, ma'am," Seth grumbled, then his expression softened, "Sorry, Carly. Don't go, alright? I'll behave."

Roman shot Carly a glance and grinned, amused at her handling of the situation. It seemed that losing patience while worried was trait she shared with Dean. Carly was just glad he hadn't been there to witness that. Still of all three members of the Shield, Carly never would've guessed that _Seth _would be the most obstinate and difficult to deal with when he needed looking after. Maybe it had something to do with being as self-sufficient and emotionally in control as he was.

"Alright," said Dean as he let himself back in, "The arrangements are all made. I've extended our stay at this fine establishment until Sunday."

"Wait, we're staying here?" asked Seth.

"Well, you two sure as hell aren't going anyplace else," said Dean, "I don't want you getting damaged worse in transit."

Seth muttered something under his breath. The only word Carly could make out was "overreacting."

"Maybe I am," said Dean, "But better safe than stupid. You don't have to stay, though, Carly. If you have places to be, I mean."

"No, I can stay," said Carly, "You'll have your hands full with these two."

"Yes, please stay," said Seth, "You're a better nurse than he is."

Seth grinned provokingly at Dean. What a shyster! It was like he was _trying _to make trouble. That in itself was an odd swing from how reserved and pensive he'd been.

"Ungrateful little punk," Dean muttered. But Carly could tell he wasn't taking Seth seriously.

"Enough," Roman interrupted, "Go to sleep, Seth. No more instigating until I'm well enough to knock your heads together when you get annoying."

xXx

Dean was right. An extra day's rest, an absurd amount of takeout, and enough ice to sink the Titanic was just Seth and Roman needed. And come Monday night, they were ready to make a statement.

Carly was backstage on string-pulling duty. The crew members had the solidarity of mistreated underlings, so their help was easily secured more often than not. Following Seth's orders, Carly had arranged for a camera crew to be on hand when Evolution arrived, at which point the live feed from said camera would be displayed on the TitanTron, letting the Shield know that it was go time.

The boys were in top form tonight: Dean with his frenetic charisma, Seth with his sly but charming arrogance, and Roman's air of superhumanly powerful confidence. Dean and Seth's support of Roman as he vowed to teach Evolution to believe in him was particularly heartwarming. Carly found herself getting caught up in their speech, even though she'd heard them talk of almost nothing else all weekend. The challenge was set forth for a rematch at Payback. Evolution's assault hadn't deterred the Shield. It had only served to light a fire in them, and Evolution had best be prepared to face the blaze of it.

With almost perfect timing, their limousine arrived. Carly nodded to the techs, and watched in satisfaction as the Shield dashed off for the parking garage. She couldn't help but laugh at Seth's frankly adorable war-cry as he came flying out of nowhere to attack Triple H. Caught completely unawares, Evolution was quickly disposed of, though other employees dragged the Shield away before things could get really good. Ah, well. Phase one was a smashing success.

xXx

Carly sat perched on a table across the hall from one of the backstage monitors, watching Evolution make their way to the ring. Wrapped up in anticipating what was going to happen next, Carly didn't notice Emma until she sat down on the table next to her.

"Hey," she said brightly.

"Hey, Emma," said Carly, smiling back at her. The slightly scatterbrained and cheerful Emma was a friend of hers.

"Whatcha watching?" asked Emma.

"A bunch of grouchy has-beens who are about to say mean things," said Carly.

"Oh," said Emma, wrinkling her nose, "Why are you watching that?"

"Because it's gonna get fun," said Carly. She grinned at the questioning look on Emma's face, "Just watch."

Randy Orton started off by whining, of course. But Triple H, now there was an orator for you. The way he talked was beyond belief. He vowed that Evolution would take them apart, one by one. Evolution would start by humbling Dean Ambrose, then they would pull the wings off that hummingbird Seth Rollins (seriously, though, _hummingbird_?), and would finally take their time making an example of Roman Reigns. Carly shook her head. This was incredible. It was textbook supervillain monologuing.

"Wait for it," she said, as Emma was starting to look a little doubtful that anything fun could come of this.

Triple H was just about to deliver Evolution's catchphrase, but before he could, something threw him to the ground. Emma gasped. Seth had taken him out at the knees and proceeded to punch the daylights out of him while Dean and Roman took care of Orton and Batista. Carly and Emma both burst out laughing as it happened. Carly was the only one who knew that the Shield had disguised themselves as crew members and slipped beneath the ring under the cover of a commercial break's dim lighting. Seth's timing could not have been more perfect.

One by one, Evolution was dumped from the ring. As the Shield's music played, a furious Triple H got hold of a microphone, but it was snatched from his hands by an equally livid Batista. This could get interesting.

"I've had enough! I've had enough of you, I've had enough of you, and I've had enough of you!" Batista shouted, pointing at each member of the Shield in turn, "Reigns, you're the big dog. I've had enough. You and me, tonight!"

Batista threw down the mic as surprise turned to wild anticipation on the faces of the Shield. Roman roared his assent. As Evolution made their retreat, Roman turned to grin at Dean and Seth.

"You're right, that was fun," said Emma, "See you, Carly!"

"See you," Carly called after her.

Things had definitely gotten interesting, alright.

xXx

"Roman, you lucky dog," said Dean, hitting him on the shoulder.

Roman laughed and continued taping up his wrists. This looked to be a pretty straightforward grudge match. Nobody was banned from ringside, so -

"This is going to break down into a brawl, isn't it?" said Carly.

"Oh, I'm counting on it, princess," said Dean, rubbing his hands together eagerly.

Carly shook her head and smiled. They were always spoiling for a fight, Dean in particular. But she supposed they wouldn't be in this line of work otherwise.

"Don't worry, Carly," said Roman, "You know I could take Batista out with one hand tied behind my back."

He grinned at her, and she laughed. Roman had very nearly done exactly that.

"And besides," said Seth, "We can handle Evolution when we're evenly matched like this."

"I know you can," said Carly, "And I won't waste my breath telling you three to be careful, because I know _that'll _never happen."

"Well, that's the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard it," said Dean.

"Hilarious," Carly said drily, "Batista again, though. What's his deal?"

"Maybe he's had enough," Dean offered.

Seth shot him an exasperated look, and Dean grimaced.

"Geez, tough crowd," said Dean.

After the Shield set off to make their entrance, Carly set about finding a more or less safe location from which to watch the match. At least, that was the plan.

Carly noticed a familiar group of superstars gathered suspiciously near the wings. This alone wouldn't have aroused that much suspicious, if not for the presence of Stephanie McMahon among them. Oh boy. They were going to pull this underhanded nonsense again? Carly slipped away before anyone saw her.

She'd dealt with this situation before, so at least she knew what to do this time. There were the props crates, and there was the box the kendo sticks were stored in. Carly's fingers just closed around the hilt of a kendo stick when she felt someone grab a handful of her hair.

Carly spun around to strike, but Paige blocked her arm. The kendo stick went flying out of Carly's grasp and clattered down the hallway. Before Carly could react, Paige's knee caught her in the stomach. Carly doubled over. Paige seized her by the hair and threw her to the ground. Dazed, Carly had no time to recover before Paige knelt directly on her solar plexus, driving all the air out of her lungs. Carly heard a metallic clicking sound as something cold closed around her wrist.

Paige stood up, and Carly took a long, gasping breath. Paige dragged her by the hair, pulling her to the wall. As Paige knelt behind her and Carly felt the other end of the handcuffs close around her other wrist, she finally realized what was happening. Carly lunged forward and felt the handcuffs catch on the pipe behind her. This was bad. This was extremely bad. Paige stood over her, smiling.

"You are so predictable," said Paige, "Always running off and trying to be a hero. It's a little pathetic, actually."

Thankfully, Carly had been handcuffed to a vertical pipe, which meant she could still stand. She got to her feet and glared defiantly at Paige.

"Better a predictable goody two-shoes than a sell-out," said Carly.

Paige maintained her affable, businesslike composure as she punched Carly in the mouth. Carly recoiled from the force of the blow. Forget Alicia Fox. Paige had the better right cross. Paige turned to walk away.

"Were you always a terrible person and I just never noticed, or is this a new thing?" said Carly.

She knew it was a bad idea, taunting someone while you can't fight back. She didn't care. Paige deserved it. And Carly wasn't surprised at all when Paige marched back and punched her in the mouth so hard that it drove her to her knees.

Paige turned to leave again. As she stood, Carly started laughing. She didn't know why. It wasn't funny, and it hurt like hell. This only earned her a third punch that put the metallic taste of blood on her lips.

"God, I hate you," Carly blurted out, pulling against the handcuffs to lean forward.

This was apparently the last straw for Paige. She hit Carly with a vicious side-kick to the ribs, which slammed Carly's head and spine back against the pipe. Carly slumped to the ground, her head ringing.

"You stay down," Paige ordered.

Carly wasn't about to let her get the last word, and aggravating the enemy was Carly's specialty.

"_Never smile at a crocodile_," she sang quietly, "_No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile_."

Paige whirled around, enraged, and stormed back to her.

"What?" Carly said with a deliberately provoking grin, "You never said I couldn't sing."

Without a word, Paige slammed Carly's head into the pipe and stalked off.

"_Don't be taken in by his welcome grin_," Carly sang loudly after her, "_He's imagining how well you'd fit his skin. Never smile at a crocodile. Never tip your hat and stay to talk awhile. Never run, walk away. Say goodnight, not good day. Clear the aisle and never smile and Mr. Crocodile_."

Carly was nearly shouting by the end, well aware that she sounded like a crazy person. It didn't matter as long as Paige had to listen. But now that Carly was left alone, her adrenaline-fueled defiance began to fade into worry. Once again, the Shield could be in trouble and she'd been taken out of circulation. For just how long were they going to be caught in this vicious cycle with Evolution?

Carly sighed, tugging at the handcuffs once more. No use. Worse still, a particularly annoying trickle of blood had started from the corner of her mouth, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Also her spine hurt. And her head. At least the audio from the broadcast was being played over the backstage intercom so she would know what was going on.

And from the sounds of it, Roman was doing alright. Good. Carly knew he would be. He was outside the ring, which could be dangerous. But if Roman was smashing Batista's head into the steel steps, it was safe to assume he was in control of the match.

They must've gotten back in the ring, because the next thing Carly heard was Batista had sidestepped Roman and let him run himself headfirst into the turnbuckle. That was not good. Hearing that Roman had to kick out from a cover was less good. As always, being forced to witness Roman in trouble was unbelievably distressing. "Bootista" chants were a little reassuring, though.

Why couldn't the commentators actually comment on the match? That was supposed to be their job, after all. Honestly! _Who_ almost clotheslined _whose_ head off? What, "uh-oh"? _Which _troops were rallying? What in the actual hell was going on? Wait. That was Roman's voice yelling, which indicated he was running to clothesline a cornered Batista. Then -

"Look out, guys! Ambrose! And Rollins! And now Reigns!" Michael Cole was shouting.

Here they go. Dean had wanted a brawl, and if Evolution was going after Roman, that's all the excuse he needed. Seth was apparently going at it with Triple H, which meant Dean was probably going after Orton. Jerry Lawler said something about Roman going for a Superman punch, but then he shouted, and the bell rang seconds later. Well, if nothing else, at least that meant Roman had won. Technically.

Apparently Orton and Batista had been taken out, and Triple H had been thrown back into the ring. Thank goodness. Not only were the boys alright, but they had the upper hand. Unfortunately, there was still the cavalry to worry about.

And there they were now, being directed by Stephanie. Carly kicked a nearby crate. Just when the Shield had been starting to recover. The words "Roman Reigns is being destroyed" made Carly's heart sink, as did the news that Dean and Seth were out of commission outside the ring. It seemed like Triple H was staying true to his promise about making an example of Roman.

Triple H and a chair, and then there was a – spear? What? Roman must've broken loose and hit Triple H with a spear! The wonderful news only multiplied as Mr. Cole shouted that Dean and Seth had returned with "equalizers," and Carly heard the sound of steel chairs driving back the assailants. She would've punched the air in celebration if her hands were free.

The audience was screaming for the triumphant Hounds of Justice. From what Carly could gather, the boys were handing out finishing moves like they were going out of style. Roman roared and, as was tradition, Ryback received a triple-powerbomb.

Carly gave a relieved sigh as the Shield's music started to play. They had put an end to Evolution's perfect plan. They put an end to it… without her help. That was a strange way to think about this, wasn't it? Sure, Carly knew the Shield didn't _need _her help. It wasn't a big deal. That didn't stop it from needling the back of her mind, though. Maybe part of it had something to do with the fact that she'd been handcuffed to a wall and used as Paige's punching bag. Speaking of which, aside from Paige, nobody knew where she was, did they? Carly sighed again and hoped the Shield would find her soon.

She had no way of telling the time, but Carly figured it took about twenty minutes of trying to find the least uncomfortable of having a metal pipe dig into her back before the three of them wandered past. They froze a moment in confusion, but hurried over the moment they realized that, surprise surprise, Carly was bleeding from the mouth again.

"What happened to you?" Seth exclaimed.

"Paige happened," said Carly, "I could use a hand."

She rattled the handcuffs against the pipe. Dean raised his eyebrows incredulously, and then crouched down next to her and started tinkering with the handcuffs. Meanwhile, Roman had knelt down and lifted Carly's chin to get a better look at Paige's handiwork.

"Paige again, huh?" said Roman, "She busted you a good one."

"Nice work out there, by the way," said Carly, "Yeah, well, I was asking for it. She probably wouldn't have hit me as many times if I hadn't started talking smack. Don't give me that look, Roman."

Roman was wearing the mildly exasperated expression that was usually reserved for Dean after he got himself into trouble. It made Carly feel a little embarrassed about how she'd acted. But in that situation, any of them would have done the same thing. Dean, at least, would've – oh wait. That didn't help her case at all, did it.

"There," said Dean.

One of the cuffs slipped off Carly's wrist. She held her hands out in front of her, glancing in confusion from the open handcuff to the self-satisfied grin on Dean's face.

"But you don't have a key," said Carly, "How did you know how to-? Nevermind. I don't think I want to know. Other side, too, please."

Laughing, Dean complied.

"You're alright, though, Carly?" asked Seth.

"I'll have headache for the next day and a half, but I'm fine other than that," said Carly, "What about you guys?"

"Not a scratch on us," Roman said proudly.

"And we took out, how many guys was it?" said Dean, "I didn't stop to count."

That was good to hear. They couldn't really afford to get re-injured at this point.

"So, rematch at Payback is a go?" asked Carly.

"Mhmm," Seth nodded, "Once we get through a couple weeks of posturing and power plays, just like last time."

"Same old song," said Dean, "Only I'm not sure I like this remix. There's too much Batista. And there you go, princess. Free at last."

"Thanks, Dean," said Carly.

"Come on," said Seth, helping Carly to her feet, "Let's get you cleaned up, and then we can get out of here."

"You know we're going to have to do something about Paige sooner or later," said Roman.

"You just worry about Evolution," said Carly, "I can handle Paige."

She wasn't at all sure if that was true. Still, they had enough to worry about, and she was currently no help. Finding a way to remedy the Paige situation would at least give Carly something to do. She was grateful for that, in a twisted sort of way.

xXx

Carly wandered past catering, scanning the faces of the people milling around and eating their supper. Ah, there he was. Just the bleach-blond man she was looking for. Dolph Ziggler was currently engaged in chatting up a gaggle of Rosebuds. No surprises there. With promises that he'd catch up with them later, Dolph excused himself from the conversation when he saw Carly heading his way.

"Carly, what's up?" he called, grinning at her.

"The usual chaos and madness," said Carly, "So, you and Batista tonight, huh?"

For whatever reason, Dolph had decided to make fun of Batista on Twitter. Batista did not take kindly to this, and challenged him to a match on Smackdown. Dolph rubbed the back of his neck unconcernedly.

"Yeah," he said, "It's about time somebody taught that Neanderthal a thing or two."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Carly said a little hesitantly, "I mean, I have every faith in your abilities, but Batista's got a lot of pent-up aggression these days, and he's probably gonna take it out on you."

"Look, I know you and the Shield have got your whole crusade-against-the-man thing going on," said Dolph, "And I support that one-hundred percent. But somebody's gotta call Batista out on all his bull, and it might as well be me. I quite literally have nothing to lose."

Unfortunately, he wasn't really exaggerating. Dolph Ziggler was a man who could not catch a break. But he was also a man who would not give up and fade into the background. He'd taken to using his omega-wolf status as a way to make his voice heard, calling out those who needed to be called out with no regard for repercussions. Carly held great respect and admiration for him because of that.

"Nothing except consciousness," said Carly, "What in particular do you have against him, anyway?"

"It's like this," Dolph explained, "Randy Orton is a pissy crybaby with entitlement issues, right? But you can't argue with the fact that he's here and fighting nearly every week. Batista just up and walks away to be a movie star, and then he waltzes back in here and gets handed a title shot when there is a locker room full of guys who are a hundred times more deserving. And that shouldn't happen. He's just like the Miz, only bigger. And angrier. And with a slightly less annoying voice."

Carly laughed. For all Dolph's cavalier posturing, he always stayed true to his convictions. Too bad convictions weren't enough to protect him in the ring.

"Well, promise you'll be careful, alright?" said Carly.

"Promise," said Dolph. Then he smiled and inclined his face towards her, "Kiss from the princess for good luck?"

"Flirt," Carly reproached, before kissing him on the cheek.

"Guilty as charged," Dolph said with a wink, "See you around, kid."

Dolph sauntered off, and Carly went back to look for the Shield. She found them near the locker rooms. Well, she found Dean and Roman. Seth was nowhere to be seen.

It was becoming apparent to Carly that the stress of the situation was wearing on Seth. He never acted any differently. He didn't even seem that worried. But he went off on his own to think much more often than he usually did. He would wander off in one direction and turn up some time later in the most random places. Neither Dean nor Roman seemed terribly concerned by this, and they knew Seth far better than Carly did, so it was probably nothing. Still, Carly was a little concerned about him.

There wasn't much to worry about tonight besides that, though. The Shield wasn't scheduled for any matches. They were only there for the sake of making a statement about the events of Monday. Thankfully, it was one night they wouldn't have to worry about Evolution pulling any tricks. Batista had his match with Dolph, Triple H was busy being the boss, and Randy Orton wasn't even there. Carly knew they boys were ready for a fight, but she was glad they would have another day to recover their strength before Payback.

Unfortunately, the match between Dolph and Batista went pretty much the way Carly had predicted. Batista unhurriedly took his aggression out on his opponent. Poor Dolph got tossed around and thrown into the steel steps. Even though Dolph managed to get a few good moves in, Batista's temper got the better of him, and he got himself disqualified for a low blow. That only made Batista angrier. A parting Batista-bomb left Dolph Ziggler laid out flat on his back. Well, it could've been worse.

Carly knew she should've learned never to think things like that. She always managed to jinx the situation. Instead of walking away, Batista got back in the ring and threw Dolph through the ropes. He proceeded to pitch Dolph into the barricade, and then Batista-bomb him spine-first on top of it. Batista probably would've done more damage if a trio of referees hadn't ordered him off.

Poor Dolph. Batista shut him up but good. He'd known what he was getting himself into, though. And if Carly knew Dolph Ziggler, he wouldn't let that stop him for long. He was every bit as resilient as the Shield was.

Speaking of the Shield, they were up next. They passed the microphone between them, speaking in much the same vein as they had on Monday, only with more to be proud of after that triumph. Carly wasn't really listening that closely until Dean said something that caught her attention.

"Now, I suppose we should be grateful to have the night off," he was saying, "But me, I'm not the kinda guy who likes to come out here and talk without doing anything to back it up. If I was, I'd be in Evolution."

What? They hadn't discussed this backstage. Unless it was something the boys had come up with on the way to the ring? But no. The confident grin had faded from Roman's face, and a look of confusion had flashed across Seth's eyes before he regained his composure. That was all Carly needed to see to know that for some reason, Dean was going off-script.

"No," Dean continued, "As long as I'm out here, we might as well have something to show for it, right? Now, I'd go with tradition and challenge Batista, but he's already made his obligatory cameo appearance for the night. And Randy Orton's lazy ass couldn't be bothered to come in at all. So that just leaves the man himself, Triple H."

Oh, no. Please say Dean wasn't about to do what she thought he was about to do.

"So, how about it, Hunter?" Dean raised his voice to a shout, "You gonna stay shut up in that office pushing pencils, or are you gonna come down here and make things interesting?"

Dean threw the mic away as the crowd roared in anticipation. Carly ran her hands through her hair, grasping handfuls of it as she stared at the monitor in horrified silence. What in the actual hell was Dean thinking? Was he _trying _to get himself killed? Roman stepped towards Dean, as if he was going to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him, but he was stopped by Seth. Seth was hurriedly saying something to Roman, probably telling him to play it cool and pretend that this was their plan. Roman did calm down, but he did not look happy about the situation. A few seconds later, Triple H's face appeared on the TitanTron.

"I always did admire that confidence, Dean," he said with a thin smile, "It's a shame it's so misguided. As COO of this company, I do in fact have more important things to do than come down there and deal with you."

The crowd voiced their disapproval, and Roman seemed to breathe a little easier. But Carly knew not to think they were out of danger yet.

"However," Triple H continued, "If it's a fight you want, then that's what I'll give you. You better send your _brothers _backstage, because they're banned from ringside, and your two-on-one handicap match against Titus O'Neil and Ryback starts right now."

That half-crazed fire was lighting up Dean's eyes. Apparently he wasn't that picky about who he got to fight, as long as he got to fight _somebody_. He was the only one who was happy with this arrangement. Well, except for maybe O'Neil and Ryback. Carly pressed a hand to her mouth. Well, Dean was screwed. Those two ogres were going to crush him into a fine powder, and he didn't seem to care. At that moment, Seth and Roman stormed around the corner.

"Guys, what just happened?" asked Carly.

"What _happened_," Roman growled, "Is that damn fool went off the rails on us again. Why didn't you let me stop him?"

Roman getting this angry at a friend was a rare occurrence. But on the occasions that Dean's unpredictability came at odds with Roman's stability, sparks were sure to fly.

"Because we're all gonna look like idiots if Evolution finds out that we weren't together on this. I don't know what… I just – I don't know, okay?" said Seth. Seth being panicked enough to stammer was disconcerting, "He's got a lot of explaining to do when he gets back here."

"If he gets through this match alive," Carly said faintly.

"Then I'm gonna kill him myself," Roman finished.

To call the match a joke would be an insult to jokes. Dean actually managed to hold his own very well for about the first three minutes. Then that stupid hothead had to run into the opponent's corner to punch Ryback for no reason, and everything went straight to hell. The beatdown that followed was painful to watch. Dean was passed between his two larger opponents, tossed and slammed around like a ragdoll. Carly surmised that this was Triple H's true intention in setting up this match.

At least those two meatheads were only trying to embarrass Dean, rather than injure him. He was able to walk up the ramp under his own power, thankfully. When he emerged from the trainers' room after being cleared by the medics, Roman wordlessly grabbed hold of his vest and dragged him off, Seth and Carly following close behind.

"Alright, already. Get your hands off me, Roman!" said Dean, finally struggling free, "What the hell is your problem?"

"That's funny, I was just gonna ask you the same thing," Roman said with a terse, unamused smile.

"Come on, you guys," Seth interjected, "Don't do this now."

Something in Seth's eyes struck Carly as more urgent than his usual attempts at playing peacemaker. Unfortunately, this was completely lost on the other two.

"We make a plan and we stick with it, Dean," Roman continued, ignoring Seth, "We don't start ad-libbing, and we sure as _hell _don't go rogue and start throwing out challenges."

"Well, I'm sorry," Dean fired back sarcastically, "But since I'm clearly not enough of a threat for Evolution to challenge _me_, I gotta take matters into my own hands."

"Oh, so you're pulling _that_ on us again," said Roman, glaring at him with an expression that bordered on disgust, "You're actually jealous about this, aren't you?"

"Please, guys," Seth begged, "Don't fight about this."

Carly hadn't heard this argument before, but from the look on Seth's face, she guessed it was a bad one.

"What?" Dean spat acidly, "We've got the _Architect _and a goddamn _thoroughbred_. Hey, I guess a mutt like me just can't compete with that, am I right?"

"Don't you go taking your inferiority complex out on me," growled Roman, "Just because you somehow got it into your head that we're in some sort of competition. Me and Seth never thought that, and you know it."

"Well, the rest of the damn company thinks it, so why shouldn't you?" Dean yelled.

"_You're _the only one who's enough of a goddamn moron to think that," Roman fired back.

"Knock it off!" Seth shouted.

Seth pushed himself between them, shoving them apart. Dean and Roman glared at each other wordlessly.

"I don't have to stand here and take this," Dean muttered.

He stormed off, shoulder-checking Roman as he passed.

"That's right," Roman called after him, "Go off and sulk like a child. That's all you're good at, isn't it?"

Dean flipped Roman off without looking back. Roman shook his head and stormed off in the opposite direction without another word.

Well. That had been… dramatic. Carly was still trying to get her bearings on what had just happened. It had somehow gotten under Dean's skin that Seth and Roman had gotten solo challenges by Evolution, but he hadn't. And this was because, for some reason, Dean had the idea that everyone – Seth, Roman, and Evolution included – thought that he wasn't good enough to be taken seriously?

But that was ridiculous. Dean was one of the best in the company, everybody knew that. Everybody except Dean, apparently. Even with everything he'd accomplished and all that bravado, his confidence was still a house of cards.

Carly wondered if this wasn't all a part of Triple H's plan. If he knew about Dean's insecurity, and Carly was willing to bet he did, then he'd be sure to find a way to exploit it against Dean and the Shield in general. Carly felt sorry for Dean. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, and that was almost inviting people to take shots at it.

She felt sorry for Roman, too, for having to take the brunt of Dean's frustration. But she felt sorriest for Seth. He was stressed enough having to deal with the Evolution situation, and now his own team exploded in his face as he was helpless to hold things together.

"Idiots," said Seth, rubbing his eyes, "I don't have time for this. Why did you have to do that now? Why did you have to do that _now_?"

His voice crescendoed to a shout, and he kicked a nearby rack of folding chairs, toppling it over. Carly clapped her hands over her ears as about fifty chairs clattered deafeningly to the floor. Seth jammed his hands into his pockets, staring moodily down at the mess he'd made. Poor guy. If only there was something she could do to help take his mind off things for a while.

"Do you like Italian?" she asked abruptly.

"Do I… what?" Seth blinked at her in confusion.

"I saw an Italian restaurant between the arena and the hotel," she said, "Why don't we go get something to eat while we wait for those two to cool off? I'll buy."

Seth stared at her for a second. Then a tired smile spread across his face.

"Thanks, Carly," he said quietly, "I'd like that."

Seth admitted that he usually ended up driving around on his own to kill time waiting for Dean and Roman to calm down, and that's why he'd been caught off-guard when she suggested dinner. He thanked Carly again and told her that he preferred this solution. Good food served to put both of them in much better spirits An hour later when they went back to the boys' hotel room, Dean and Roman were already there. They turned and looked sheepishly over at Seth and Carly. It appeared that they'd found time to "settle their differences", as there was a cut on Dean's cheek and a bruise beginning to form around Roman's eye.

"You two good now?" Seth asked flatly.

"Yeah, we're good," Roman said with a guilty smile, "And we're sorry, Seth."

"We picked up a six-pack of your favorite," Dean added, "Y'know, to make up for it."

"Just… Just don't do that again, alright?" said Seth, "We already got enough worry about without being at each others' throats."

"We promise, bro," Roman nodded, "Now get over here and share your beer with us."

Seth sighed and rolled his eyes, but Carly could see how relieved he was to have peace among the hounds again. He plunked himself down on the bed, handed bottles to Dean and Roman, and then leaned comfortably back against a stack of pillows. He looked far happier than Carly had seen him in a long time, as if he all he wanted was to spend as much time with his brothers as possible.

"You two look like a pair of junkyard dogs," Carly reprimanded mildly, "Roman, there's a full bucket of ice here. Why isn't any of it on that eye? No, don't get up. I'll do it."

"Thanks, Carly" said Roman as he accepted the ice-pack she'd made up, "And we're sorry you had to see that, too."

"So am I," Carly said wryly, "Somebody once told me to be patient…"

Roman picked up on the reminder of when he and Seth had urged Carly to be patient with Dean, especially when he acted like a fool.

"That came back to bite me, didn't it," Roman said, with a rueful laugh.

"Uh-huh," said Carly.

Carly sat down on the bed next to Dean. Taking a page out of his book, she'd started carrying a first-aid kit in her purse, just in case. She fished out a band-aid and an antiseptic wipe.

"Now hold still and let me take care of that," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," said Dean.

He bit back an amused grin that Carly guessed was in reaction to her turning the tables and bossing him around for a change. But he sat patiently and let her clean and bandage the cut, not even batting an eye at the sting of the antiseptic. Oddly miffed, Carly wondered if she could call someone a show-off for having a higher pain tolerance than she did. Oh, well. In the end, she was just glad he hadn't been hurt tonight.

"Oh, we got you some chocolate as an apology," said Dean, "Girls like that, right?"

From the frank, slightly worried expression on Dean's face, Carly couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. Roman shook his head amusedly and shrugged at her. Carly accepted the peace offering with gratitude and the assurance that she did, in fact, like chocolate. But in all honesty, she probably would've said that even if she didn't. And she was sure Seth would've done the same if they'd gotten him the wrong beer, which (for all she knew) they might've. Things like that were too insignificant to worry about right now. These people, the Shield – that was the most important thing to Carly, and to Seth.


	13. Anxious Days and Sleepless Nights

**Anxious Days and Sleepless Nights**

"So we're all on the same page, right, guys?" Seth said for what must have been the fifth time, "Dean, you're okay with this?"

"I already promised to be on my best behavior," Dean said innocently.

Or rather, he made a valiant effort to look innocent, which only served to make him look more mischievous than ever. Seth rolled his eyes, while Roman and Carly laughed.

"Seriously, Seth," said Dean, "I'm good now. I got all the shenanigans out of my system. Well, for the next week, at least. So stop worrying, alright?"

That wasn't going to happen. Still, Dean's reassurance seemed to put Seth more at ease. He couldn't afford to be distracted tonight. Not with what he was up against.

"You sure you wanna take on Batista again?" said Roman, "It really didn't go so well for you the first time."

"That's why I _have_ to, Roman," said Seth.

"Alright, alright. If that's what you gotta do," said Roman, "Then we got your back."

"Believe that, brother," said Dean, clapping Seth on the back.

"I know. Thanks, guys," Seth smiled, "I think I'm gonna go take a walk. Clear my head a little."

Dean and Roman had come to accept Seth's disappearing act, and went about their pre-show preparations as usual. Carly sat by and waited.

She couldn't deny that she'd been feeling a little useless lately. Back before Extreme Rules, she'd always been running interference or gathering information for the Shield. But now, Dean and Roman were treating everything as routine, Seth was always off brooding somewhere like he was Batman or something, and Carly had absolutely nothing to do.

Alright, so maybe that wasn't _entirely _true. She'd just switched from espionage to support class, that's all. She was still helping the Shield. It was just her responsibilities now consisted mostly of looking after the boys when they got hurt. Up until recently, that had been a shared responsibility. But with the Dark Knight lost in thought half the time and lost in general the other half, much of that responsibility had fallen to Carly. She didn't mind it. She liked being able to help the boys. She just felt like she could and should be doing something more, and that thought needled at her. Oh well. As one of her nerdier gamer friends had once told her: sometimes you tank, and sometimes you heal.

"Hey, is it that late already?" Dean's voice broke across her thoughts, "Seth should've gotten back by now."

His brow furrowed concernedly, and Roman glanced up at the clock. There was only half an hour left before the broadcast, meaning Seth had been gone for a good forty-five minutes.

"You're right," said Roman, "I'm gonna go look for him. You two wait here in case he comes back while I'm gone."

"Got it," said Dean.

Oh joy. More waiting. She shouldn't complain. At least they didn't have to worry about more of the crazy stunts Evolution had pulled the month before, even if it did mean things were a little boring at present.

Suddenly, a commotion in the hallway caught Carly and Dean's attention. They looked at each other in confusion. It sounded like a fight, and one of the voices sounded like Roman's.

Carly and Dean ran out into the hall and followed the sounds just in time to see Randy Orton slam Roman's head into a pipe. Roman collapsed, facedown. With a roar of rage, Dean charged at Orton, tearing into him like a wild animal. Roman was still sprawled out on the ground. Carly let Dean worry about Randy Orton, and knelt down next to Roman.

"Roman, are you alright?" she asked, "What happened? Did… oh my God."

When Roman finally looked up, Carly was horrified to see blood streaming down his face. He must've hit that pipe hard enough to open a fairly large gash just above his right eye. Acting more or less on instinct, Carly pulled off her sweatshirt and used the sleeve to try to staunch the flow of blood from the wound.

"That bad, huh?" Roman asked dazedly.

He tried to push himself to his feet, but Carly put a hand on his shoulder. Thankfully, he understood that meant she wanted him to stop, because there was no way she could've held Roman Reigns down. She didn't want to risk letting him stand without somebody else there to help.

"Just a bit, yeah," said Carly, "Don't get up just yet, alright? Dean?"

By that time, officials had stepped in to break up the fight and chase Randy Orton off. Dean, no worse for the wear himself, stopped trying to get past the officials to give chase and turned back to Carly.

"Yeah, what's – whoa," Dean broke off when he saw Roman, "Damn. He busted you open good, Roman."

"The bastard jumped me," Roman grumbled, "I didn't even see him coming."

Dean knelt down next to Carly and put a hand on Roman's chest, looking him over.

"You hurt otherwise?" he asked.

"No," said Roman, "You chased him off before he got the chance. Thanks, by the way."

Thank goodness. This whole business was pretty odd. What was Randy Orton doing prowling around here? Was he waiting for one of the Shield to show up? That wouldn't make much sense, since they didn't usually go off alone. Unless someone had noticed how Seth had been doing so lately. Then perhaps this was on Triple H's orders, and Roman just had the misfortune to wander into a trap laid for Seth. Then again, Carly wouldn't put it past Orton to commit a crime of opportunity.

"If you're okay to walk, we should probably go find the medics," said Carly, "I don't like how much that's bleeding right now."

"She's right, uce," said Dean, "Come on, we better get you patched up."

Dean helped him to stand, and the three of them just set off towards the trainers' room when Seth suddenly appeared beside them.

"Guys, what the hell happened?" he asked frantically.

"We got worried, so Roman went looking for you," said Dean, "He ran into a snake instead."

Seth looked more distressed than Carly had ever seen him. She wondered if it was because Roman was hurt, or because he'd gotten hurt while he was out looking for Seth.

"Roman, I'm sorry," Seth said, "Really, I didn't mean for you guys to worry. I promise I won't go off like that again. Look, once we get you taken care of, you can sit this one it, alright?"

"Like hell I will," Roman said adamantly, "It could've been you that got jumped, or Dean. Hell, that psycho probably would've done the same to Carly. I'm not letting you three out of my sight."

"That's the spirit," said Dean, "We're not gonna let Evolution think they've got us scared."

Roman, more annoyed than hurt, was quickly tended to by the medics. After cleaning and examining the wound, they told him that he'd need stitches, to which he responded by asking them to please hurry up with that. Dean hovered nearby as the medics worked. Seth stayed back a bit, leaning against the wall.

Carly, realizing that she was still carrying her now bloodstained sweatshirt, quickly deposited it in the garbage. She wanted to go over and make sure that Roman was alright, but while the sight of blood didn't bother her, stitches and needles made her shamefully squeamish. Instead, she went to stand next to Seth, who still looked perturbed by the situation.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah. No," Seth sighed, "I'm responsible for this."

"No you're not," said Carly, "This wasn't your fault. Randy Orton is a pile of crazy. You had nothing to do with it. Although… if there's one thing you guys have taught me, it's that if you're doing something that's making your friends worry, you probably shouldn't be doing that thing."

"You're right," said Seth, hanging his head a little, "Carly, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," said Carly, "Just know that if you need us, we're here to help. _I'm _here to help. Alright?"

That faint, tired smile was on Seth's face again.

"I don't think I quite deserve a friend like you," he said.

"I know, right? I wouldn't wish me on anyone," Carly said mock-earnestly.

At least self-deprecating humor could still get a laugh out of Seth. Poor guy. He had enough on his plate without blaming himself for things that weren't his fault. Still, she was glad he'd promised not to wander off anymore. They couldn't afford to let anybody get hurt. Carly linked her arm through his, and they waited for the medics to finish stitching Roman up.

Suddenly, there was an intern standing in the doorway. He glanced around and, spotting Carly, made his way over to her.

"Excuse me, Miss Caden?" he said, "I have a message for you and the Shield."

He handed her a piece of paper and vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Carly's expression darkened as she unfolded the paper. Messages for her were rarely good news, especially when they arrived just before a broadcast like this.

"What's it say?" Dean asked, walking over to join Carly and Seth.

"It's from Triple H," said Carly, "It's just been announced that the match between Evolution and the Shield at Payback will be a no holds barred elimination match."

With a low whistle of disbelief, Dean took the paper from Carly to read it for himself. Seth looked grim, but unsurprised. So this was how Evolution planned to "take the Shield apart, one by one." With no rules to stop them, Evolution would be free to torture the Shield to their black hearts' content. And being an elimination match would make it even worse. If Evolution managed to pin just one of the boys, they'd have the upper hand in an instant. Carly felt sick.

"Nothing we can't handle," said Roman, as he eased himself upright, "We're brothers, and we fight together. Evolution is just three men. Once they finally realize that they can't adapt to take us down, it'll all be over for them."

"Now that's what I like to hear," Dean laughed eagerly.

Seth just smiled stiffly and said, "Come on, we gotta get ready to make the challenge."

Carly followed the Shield out. She knew they could take down Evolution. They'd done it before, and they could do it again. If an elimination match favored any faction, it favored the Shield. Still, she knew they were going to get hurt, and badly. It was unavoidable. And with opponents as sadistic as Evolution, it was not going to be pretty.

xXx

A resoundingly confident challenge had gone out, and it had been accepted. The Authority had answered with great haste. And when the Authority made an announcement, there was one thing that the recipient must pay close attention to.

"Exact words," said Carly.

"Right," said Seth, "'Only official personnel will be allowed ringside.'"

"Meaning?" asked Dean.

"Meaning Triple H and Randy Orton are going to find a way to make themselves official," said Seth.

"Meaning we gotta find a way to make me and Dean official, too," said Roman.

Carly was surprised at Triple H. This was a remarkably transparent ploy. Surely he didn't think they were that stupid. Carly almost instantly saw the solution. The only problem would be getting it authorized by the proper high muckety-mucks.

"I've got an idea," said Seth.

"Is it something that'll make your fans at home very happy?" Carly guessed.

"Great minds think alike," Seth grinned at her.

"Roman, they're doing it again," Dean complained.

"Come on, already," said Roman, laughing, "Don't keep us in suspense. What's the plan?"

"Dean, Roman, congratulations," said Seth as he clapped them both on the back, "You're going to be tonight's special guest commentators. Carly, I think you know what to do?"

"Oh, thank God," Carly blurted out, "I haven't been able to do something useful in ages. I mean… uh, sorry."

She backpedaled sheepishly. Carly had made certain that the Shield knew nothing of her moping about feeling useless. Thankfully, they seemed to read her outburst as merely enthusiasm.

"Somebody's chomping at the bit," Roman grinned.

"Yeah, well," Carly laughed awkwardly, "I'm gonna go reason with a flying monkey. See you guys in a bit."

"Hang on," said Roman, "I'm coming with you."

"I can handle this," said Carly.

"I know you can," said Roman, "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna let you go off on your own. It's too dangerous right now."

"But you already got hurt tonight and-" said Carly.

"Don't argue with him, princess," Dean interrupted. "Roman Reigns can't be stopped by nine measly stitches. I'll stay here and protect Seth, and Roman'll go with you and do the same. That way nobody gets left vulnerable. Alright?"

They were right, of course. And this arrangement had worked well the last time they'd employed it. Carly didn't want to leave Seth any more defenseless than necessary, and she didn't want to risk Roman getting hurt worse, but she couldn't deny that she would be putting herself at an unnecessary risk if she went off alone.

"Alright," said Carly, "Come on, Roman."

"It's not 'cause I think you can't take care of yourself, because I know you can," Roman started as they walked towards the offices.

"I know that," said Carly, smiling up at him, "I also know that you're right. None of us can afford to take stupid risks, not now. And I do feel better knowing that you've got my back."

"We make a pretty good team, princess," said Roman.

"We do," said Carly.

He put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him a little. Sometimes Carly thought that Roman Reigns was the one constant in the entire universe, and she was more grateful for that than she could ever say.

When they got to the general manager's office, Roman stepped back and let Carly go first, rearranging his posture. Roman at his most intimidating was a sight to behold. He lowered his chin, a stern, fierce light in his wolf's eyes, and grabbed hold of the front of his vest, increasing the visibility of his broad shoulders and strong, formidable arms. Carly herself was a little overawed by him, until she remembered that she was under his protection.

"Oh, no you don't," said Brad Maddox, hurriedly getting to his feet as they entered the office, "Out. Both of you need to leave at once."

"Mr. Maddox," said Carly, well aware that Brad's gaze was darting between her face and Roman standing over her shoulder, "I have a very simple request. I respectfully ask that you officially declare Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns guest commentators from the match between Batista and Seth Rollins, and that you provide authorized documentation of this."

"I'll do no such thing," said Brad, "That would be in direct contradiction of the Authority's wishes."

"Please, Mr. Maddox," said Carly, "I'm sure we could come to some sort of agreement."

"I don't make bargains with subversives and thugs," he said, drawing himself up dignifiedly.

Carly heard a low rumble of laughter from behind her. Apparently Roman found being called a thug as amusing as she found being called a subversive. From the look in Brad's eyes, he didn't find Roman's amusement amusing at all. Clearly, he remembered their last encounter, but to his credit, Brad Maddox held his ground.

"There's no need to get offended," Carly said placatingly, "Let's all be reasonable about this."

"I don't think so," said Brad, "Now if you would kindly remove yourself from my office."

As he spoke, Brad grabbed hold of Carly's arm to force her towards the door. He froze in terror as Roman's hand clamped down on his shoulder. Brad turned his fearful eyes up to Roman's face.

"Little man, you just made a big mistake," Roman growled, "Carly, would you give us a moment?"

"O-okay," Carly said haltingly.

Carly stepped into the hallway and closed the office door. She felt a little bad about letting Roman take his anger out on Brad Maddox, but only a little. They didn't have time to mess around. If Brad wasn't willing to reach come to an agreement diplomatically, they'd have to do things that hard way. Still, Carly tried to ignore the sounds of the aggressive negotiations going on behind the door.

When Roman emerged, he looked a good deal more cheerful than he had so far that night. He pulled the door shut behind him and handed Carly a slightly crumpled memo.

"I think you can take it from here," he said.

"Right," said Carly, looking over the paper to see that everything was in order, "I didn't think he'd be that hard to persuade."

"He was a lot more reasonable when I got through with him," Roman grinned, "And besides, I'm not letting any corporate weasel push our princess around."

"Thanks, Roman," said Carly.

"No problem," he said.

Carly was quick to locate a trustworthy senior employee (there were surprisingly more of those than one would assume).

"Would you please make sure these orders are put through the proper channels?" Carly asked, "And then possibly send a medic to the general manager's office. Mr. Maddox might need some… assistance."

"Of course," the employee replied with the unfazed air of a person who had seen it all already and was not even going to ask anymore.

"All set?" Seth asked, when Carly and Roman returned.

"All set," said Carly, "Mostly thanks to my chief negotiator."

Roman laughed and smiled modestly.

"Took care of business, huh, Roman?" asked Dean.

"Decisively," said Roman, cracking his knuckles.

"Triple H won't be able to do a thing about it," Carly said triumphantly, "Of course, he won't even _know _about it until it's too late. I just wish I could be there to see the look on his face. I know, Seth. It isn't safe for me to be ringside."

"Is it safe for you to be anywhere?" Dean asked wryly, "I'm trying to think of one place in any given arena where you haven't gotten beat up."

"Hilarious," said Carly, "I know of one room in particular that's sure to be vacant and relatively safe."

"Oh yeah?" said Dean, "Where's that?"

"The general manager's office," Carly smirked.

After wishing Seth luck and giving him a hug for good measure, Carly locked herself in the now empty general manager's office and settled down onto the couch to enjoy the show.

The moodiness was gone from Seth's face as he made his way to the ring. He was all business, but there was more life and energy in his movements than there had been the last couple weeks. Perhaps he felt more at ease knowing that he wouldn't be going into this alone.

Seth made a good show of looking confused when, instead of Batista, Triple H appeared on the stage as the special guest ring announcer and introduced Randy Orton as the special guest timekeeper. All in the name of ensuring that the audience would see the best match possible, of course.

The commentators were slow to put the pieces together, but at least they were smart enough to see something fishy about a guest ring announcer having his fists taped up. Carly couldn't quite agree on the suspiciousness of the guest timekeeper wearing trunks, though, considering it was Randy Orton. That man had an altogether unsettling aversion to wearing pants.

Seth waited until Batista had made his entrance to retrieve the microphone that had been placed on the steel steps.

"You know, I've got some special guests of my own to make this match as big as possible," Seth announced, "So let me introduce to you the special guest commentators: Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns!"

Triple H could only look on in livid disbelief as Dean and Roman came down to the ring. He may have been upset, but the audience surely wasn't, and Carly was willing to bet that everyone watching at home was quite pleased. Dean sauntered over to the announcers' table with Roman following behind, both entirely unconcerned by the furious staredown Evolution was giving them.

Dean was completely in his element as the match got started, lobbing insults in Randy Orton's direction and singing the praises of Seth Rollins. The match itself started pretty evenly. Seth was recovered from the injuries he'd sustained at Extreme Rules and in the weeks following, so he was more than able to counter Batista's strength with his own intelligence and agility.

Roman seemed content to let Dean do most of the talking, except for answering the question of why Brad Maddox was in the trainers' room with "Because I put him there." Roman's general silence was probably because keeping an eye on Seth was his primary concern, and also because Dean was a riot on commentary, particularly when he couldn't contain himself and burst out cheering for Seth.

Things started to get a little worrisome as Seth got thrown around outside the ring by Batista, and got his head slammed into the steel steps. But the audience shared Dean's confidence and continued to chant for Seth.

For a moment, Carly thought things were about to break down. Seth had been tossed outside the ring. Triple H and Randy Orton began to close in on him as he scrambled to get away. Thankfully, they were warned off by the referee and by Dean, so the match could continue. For now, anyway.

Things still weren't going so well for Seth. Batista was doing his level best to wear him down, and it seemed to be working. But Dean's voice still rang out, confidently boasting of the Shield's superiority, and implying that Roman's mother hits harder than Randy Orton. Carly had never met the woman, but she actually wouldn't doubt it. Seth was finally able to create some separation and build momentum, only to be hit with a stunningly brutal clothesline.

Seth's resilience kept him in the match. Carly was starting to get concerned, though. Maybe he wasn't recovered as much as he'd let on. They shouldn't have set this match up. They should've let Dean take a crack at Batista instead. Seth was just going to get murdered again.

"He's still in it," said Roman, as if in response to Carly's doubts.

Batista flung Seth across the ring into the turnbuckle, and Seth landed sprawled out on his back. Now, this was strange. Triple H leaned his elbows on the apron near Seth and seemed to be saying something to him. Carly couldn't make it out over the sounds of Dean talking trash.

Batista put Seth on the top rope, presumably setting up for a suplex, but Seth fended him off, and caught Batista with a high-flying neck-breaker. Once again, it was a short-lived rally. Seth took a boot to the face and went down again. But none of that daunted Dean's absolute faith in Seth. Carly couldn't help smiling at that. She knew it meant a lot to Seth and Roman, that Dean put his faith and trust in them. And once Dean Ambrose put his confidence in someone, that confidence was unshakeable.

As if drawing strength from that, Seth rallied again, catching Batista with that amazingly impressive move that Carly still didn't know the name of. Finally, Seth was picking up steam.

"Like a cat!" Dean crowed.

Seth had slipped out of Batista's grasp and landed on his feet. Then he sent Batista flying outside the ring with a powerful dropkick.

"Seth Rollins is about to go high-risk," said Dean, "And when Seth Rollins goes high-risk, it is _high-risk_!"

A suicide dive took out Batista. It didn't exactly do Seth any favors either, though. He'd been worn down by the fight thus far, but there was somehow always more fight left in Seth Rollins.

"Like a missile, lays out Batista on the floor," Dean narrated, clearly enjoying himself.

"Stay on him," Roman urged more quietly.

Seth was back on his feet now. Batista was still down, but the rest of Evolution was closing in.

"They ain't gonna touch you," called Dean, "They ain't gonna touch you, Seth!"

Evolution seemed to take that as a challenge. Seth threw Batista back in the ring and was just about to hop over the ropes when Randy Orton grabbed his leg. Carly sat up straighter, leaning towards the monitor. Things were about to get interesting.

Orton backed off as Dean and Roman ditched the headsets and advanced on him, now prowling at ringside as well. In the ring, Seth leapt off the top rope at Batista, who ducked, but Seth was able to hit the ground with a forward roll and charge at him only to be hit with a spinebuster. Batista waited as Seth dragged himself upright. Batista charged, but was caught with a kick to the face. Seth leapt over the ropes, and immediately hopped up to the top rope and sprang forward to hit Batista with a knee to the head.

Batista dropped like a rock. Seth went for the cover, but Batista kicked out. The four men outside the ring were getting anxious. The thousands in the stands were firmly behind Seth. Drawing on his indomitable stamina, Seth caught his second (or third, or fourth) wind and climbed to the top rope.

Out of nowhere, Triple H shoved him off, sending him sprawling in the ring. Bad idea. Dean leapt on Triple H and proceeded to beat the hell out of him. Orton sent Dean over the announcers' table, but was driven back by Roman. Orton, that scumbag, blindsided Roman with a chair, knocking him to the floor. As Orton went into the timekeeper's area to collect more chairs, Dean came flying across the announcers' tables and took him out. Triple H caught Dean and slammed his head into the steel post, then kicked him while he was down.

Seth finally struggled to his feet and tried to come to Dean's rescue, only to be punched in the face by Triple H. The bell rang, signaling a D.Q. In all honesty, Carly had kind of forgotten that the match was even still going on at that point. Batista speared Seth, and it looked like that was only the start. Back outside the ring, Triple H set Dean up for a Pedigree, but Dean countered, sending Triple H over the announcers' table. Dean ran to Seth's aid and was knocked off the apron by Batista. But that momentary distraction was all Roman needed to get into the ring and hit Batista with a spear of his own.

Roman helped Seth to his feet as Dean slid into the ring. Roman threw back his head and roared. Dean was hauling Batista to his knees when he noticed Triple H on the apron, and sent him to the floor with a mighty dropkick. Capitalizing on their distraction, Orton pulled Batista from the ring.

Which was just as well, because Seth had just collapsed in exhaustion. Once again, Evolution was in retreat after being beaten at their own game by the Hounds of Justice. And when Dean and Roman brought Seth backstage, sore and tired to death, he somehow looked better than she'd seen him look in quite some time. That didn't stop Carly from fussing over him, carrying his bags, ordering his favorite pizza, and sending him to bed early in spite of his protests, though. After all, that's what she was there for.

xXx

Apparently this was the week of rematches for Batista. And after Evolution's defeat at the hands of the Shield, Batista once again looked to take his anger out on poor Dolph Ziggler. Worse yet, he was going to do so in a no-disqualifications match.

Carly watched from backstage as the carnage unfolded. After a brutal start, Dolph was eventually able to get in a low blow as retribution for last week, but that was where his luck ended. He hurt his leg when Batista dodged, and from there he was easily picked off and put away with a spear. But never let it be said that there was grace in Batista's victory. He couldn't walk away without punishing Dolph with one final Batista Bomb.

And the misfortunes for the night didn't end there. Triple H's face appeared on the TitanTron to make an unscheduled announcement.

"Aww, come on," Dean groaned, "What does he want now?"

"Can't be anything good for us," said Roman.

"It's come to my attention," said Triple H, "That in the Authority's organization of single's matches for the Shield, somebody was left out. Since Carly Caden still hasn't learned her lesson about sticking her nose in other people's business, she's going to have a match of her own tonight against the Diva's Champion, Paige."

Of course. A month ago she'd gotten Stephanie off her back. Leave it to Triple H to pick up the slack.

"If you want, we can go all Tonya Harding on this and take out her kneecaps," said Dean.

The sad part was, Carly could tell he was only half joking. But the absurd offer made her smile anyway.

"Thanks, but no thanks," she said, "I'll have to bite the bullet on this one. Ugh, of course, it _would _be Paige. Conniving little backstabber."

"And she doesn't mess around in the ring," said Roman, "This is gonna be a rough one, princess."

"I know," Carly grimaced.

Carly broke into another vacant dressing room to change into her gear. She didn't exactly want to risk using the locker rooms, considering what had happened last time she went in there. The boys were waiting for her in the green room when she got back. Carly riffled through her duffle bag. She knew she'd put her t-shirt in there somewhere.

"Huh," said Dean.

"What's up?" Carly asked without looking up. Maybe it was in one of the side pockets.

"You can still see where you hit that trailer hitch," he said, tracing the mark with one finger.

Carly wasn't surprised. Scars, even from minor cuts like that, tended to take forever to fade from her skin, for some reason. Not that she'd need this one as a reminder. She wasn't likely to forget Paige's tricks and cruelty anytime soon. Carly shied away as Dean's fingertip continued to trail along the scar.

"Knock it off, Dean. That tickles," said Carly, wrinkling her nose. Finally, she located the shirt and turned back to Dean.

"Sorry," Dean grinned unapologetically, "Scars make you look tough. Well, _kinda _tough, seeing as it's _you_, y'know."

"At least tough enough to beat Paige?" Carly asked wryly. She elected to ignore how he'd cast aspersions on her ability to look intimidating.

"I'd say it gives you a fighting chance," said Dean, shrugging.

As long as she lasted long enough to punch the taste out of Paige's mouth, that'd have to be enough.

"Hey, Dean?" said Carly, "How does one go about taping their fists?"

"How does… what?" Dean's eyebrows arched in surprise, "You wanna go into this with taped fists? That sounds serious."

"Well," said Carly, "I do owe her a punch in the mouth. Or seven."

Dean tilted his head and stared at her, an almost incredulous grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. For a moment, Carly was worried that he was going to laugh at her, or tell her that it was a bad idea. But Dean turned to rummage through his bag, and returned with athletic tape and gauze.

"Give me your hand," he ordered, "And make sure you keep your wrist as straight as possible, alright?"

Dean set to work expertly wrapping and taping her hand, humming softly to himself as he did so. Carly was surprised at the amount of finesse a man as twitchy as Dean Ambrose was capable of. Then again, this was something he had a lot of practice with.

"Not too tight, is it?" said Dean, "Make sure you can still move alright."

"Yeah, feels alright to me," said Carly, clenching and unclenching her fingers a few times.

"Good," said Dean, "Other hand now."

It probably _was _a bad idea. Odds were she wouldn't be able to land a single hit on Paige. Still, if the opportunity presented itself, Carly wanted to be ready.

"One week I'm breaking you out of handcuffs, next I'm taping up your fists for a fight," said Dean as he finished up, "But man, you've really got small hands and skinny wrists. Roman would need more tape for just _one _hand."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Roman said, grinning. He'd been standing nearby, watching, and now he took Carly's hands in his to check Dean's handiwork, "Well, Carly, you did say you wanted something to do. Guess you're not bored now, huh?"

"This is one of those stupid object lessons about being careful what you wish for, isn't it," Carly said flatly.

Further conversation was cut short by an intern who stopped by to let Carly know it was time to report to the wings. Carly took a deep breath, her stomach lurching as nerves finally caught up with her. This wasn't the first time she'd faced a firing squad, but it never seemed to get any easier. Seth patted her on the back reassuringly.

"Looks to me like you're as ready as you'll ever be, princess," said Roman, "You get on out there and show them what you're made of."

With wishes of luck from the boys, Carly pulled on the t-shirt and set off for the wings to stretch and warm up. She knew there was no getting around this one. If the Shield did anything to help, they'd be putting themselves at risk. And they definitely couldn't afford that. Not with Triple H looking for any excuse to make them hurt. Carly was going to have to see the match through. No getting counted out, no forcing a disqualification. The Authority would only throw something worse at her, and this was bad enough.

Paige was masterful. She was intelligent, incredibly skilled, and brutal. There was no way in hell Carly was walking away from this with a win. There was only a slim chance she'd be able to walk away from it at all.

Seth had followed her, and had been talking the whole time she'd been warming up. He was probably giving her pointers or something. Carly wouldn't know. She hadn't been listening up until this point.

"-and you know I don't want to send you into a fight like this," he was saying, "but-"

"I know," Carly interrupted, "It's alright, Seth."

"I just… I'm sorry," he said. He glanced away for a moment before continuing, "Anyway, like I was saying-"

"I appreciate what you're doing," Carly cut him off once again, "But no amount of strategizing is gonna help. Paige is infinitely better than I'll ever be, and she's gonna tear me apart. Unless… unless I tear her apart first."

That was it. That was the answer. Forget strategy. Forget everything. Paige had lied to her, beaten and humiliated her, and enough was enough. Carly noticed Seth looking at her concernedly.

"What I mean to say is, don't worry. I've got this covered," said Carly.

Seth wished her luck again and passed her a hair-tie, since she'd forgotten to pull her hair back. She slipped it onto her wrist as she walked away to get in position. She didn't quite know why, but she didn't have any desire for safety or practicality tonight. She could see why Seth and Roman left their hair down for matches. Hanging around her face like it did, it felt like a lion's mane.

Carly could feel the pulse pounding through her veins. The Authority, Stephanie, Triple H, Evolution – it was all the same. Time after time they'd hurt the Shield. They'd hurt everyone in this company. As far as Carly was concerned, Paige was their emissary tonight. And for that, Paige had to pay.

Man, that music was exhilarating. Carly just wished she had pyro to go along with it. A few explosions wouldn't seem out of place now. A grin lit up her face as she stepped onto the stage, where she paused a moment before striding down to the ring, catching high-fives as she went.

Her heart was racing. She'd never felt like this before a match. She'd never felt like this in general. Carly climbed into the ring and pulled off the t-shirt, pitching it into the audience like many of the superstars did. She'd never done that before, herself. It wasn't her style of showmanship, but tonight? Tonight was different. Carly leaned against the ropes on the far side of the ring and waited.

xXx

"_Now this match has been set up by order of the Authority, in order to teach Carly Caden a lesson about 'sticking her nose into other people's business', as Triple H said earlier."_

"_And who better to teach that lesson than the Diva's Champion herself?"_

"_Who indeed. But it looks like Carly is all business tonight. John, when was the last time you saw one of the Divas come out here with her fists taped up like that?"_

xXx

Paige. How strangely successful she'd been ever since aligning herself with the Authority. Not that she needed the help. Paige was fantastically talented, there was no denying it. She could've stood on her own just fine. But that belt she carried over her shoulder. That was more important to her than anything else, so she made a deal. The Authority gets the Diva's Champion in their back pocket, and Paige gets their protection of her championship reign. Pathetic.

Paige stepped into the ring and her music faded out. Oh no, she was motioning for someone to hand her a microphone. Now Carly would have to listen to her _talk_. This had better be quick.

"Carly," she said with a disarming smile, "We were friends, so I feel like I owe you an explanation. Like I said, I have nothing against you personally. But you know how this business works. It never hurts to know which side your bread is buttered on. I have my career to think of. I'm the youngest Divas Champion in history, and I intend to hold this title for a good long time. I just want you to know that there are no hard feelings, alright?"

Carly stared at Paige, unable to keep an incredulous smile from her face. Paige wanted _her _to know there were no hard feelings? She had to be joking. Carly took a step forward and gestured for Paige to pass her the microphone. Paige did so, at arm's length of course.

"Paige, I understand you completely," Carly said, feigning sincerity, "You have to do what's best for you, I get that. And if what's best for you involves having me tortured and beaten half to death, then that's how it's gotta be. I just have one thing to say to you: turnabout's fair play."

Carly whipped the microphone at Paige's face. Caught completely off-guard, Paige had no time to dodge it and the mic clocked the bridge of her nose. Paige's hands flew to her face, and Carly charged, tackling her. She heard the bell ring as she and Paige crashed to the mat.

Carly grabbed the sides of Paige's head and slammed it repeatedly into the mat. She had no plan, no strategy, and no reservations. This was retribution for everything she'd suffered at Paige's hands. This was justice.

Somehow, Paige managed to break Carly's hold and squirm out from under her. As she tried to get away, Carly caught her by the shoulders and dug her fingers in sharply, forcing her to her sit down. Carly drove her knee into Paige's spine. Show her how it felt to be stabbed in the back.

xXx

"_We are seeing a completely different side of Carly Caden tonight."_

"_That's the understatement of the century. That girl has flipped! She's gone completely insane!"_

"_Well, needless to say, the Divas Champion was not expecting this level of aggression from her opponent. Paige finally frees herself from Carly and rolls out of the ring to regroup."_

xXx

Carly stood in the center of the ring and waited. Oh, she was going to kill Paige, make no mistake about that. But she wasn't about to go chasing her outside the ring. That was dangerous and stupid and usually only got the pursuer in trouble, especially if your opponent was smart enough to play possum. And Paige was definitely that smart. Carly watched her, knowing that Paige was sizing her up and rethinking her gameplan. But Carly couldn't afford to give her too much time. Paige would outlast her if she didn't finish this quickly.

"What's the matter, champ?" Carly called, "Dollar waiting on a dime up here."

Paige glowered at the slighting remark, and jumped back in the ring.

xXx

"_Paige isn't wasting any time getting back in this, and she drops Carly with a clothesline! And now trying to slam Carly's head against the mat, but hold on… Carly's grabbed onto Paige, taking away all of her leverage. Now Paige is getting to her feet and she's pulling Carly with her."_

xXx

She would go for the Ram-Paige next, if she could loosen Carly's hold on her. Carly had to think of a way out of this. Paige slammed her forehead into Carly's and-

xXx

"_Is… is Carly laughing right now? Paige is completely thrown off by this, she doesn't know what to do."_

"_Of course she doesn't! She just realized she's in the ring with a madwoman. I'm telling you, Michael, Carly Caden has officially snapped."_

xXx

Did it ever pay to have a thick skull. Carly locked her arms around the back of Paige's head and drove her forehead into Paige's three times. Paige staggered back dazedly. This was her chance.

Carly drew back her arm and punched Paige full force in the mouth. Man, that felt _good_. Surprised, and still off balance, Paige caught herself on the ropes to keep from falling.

"Not as much fun when I can hit back, is it?" Carly taunted.

The instant she had another opening, Carly punched her a second time, and a third time. When Paige pulled her hands away from her mouth after that third punch, Carly could see blood on her lips. That was… a lot less satisfying that than Carly had expected it to be.

But she didn't have time to philosophize about it now. Carly seized Paige's hair and jerked backwards, slamming her to the ground.

xXx

"_But Paige is quick to bounce back, catching Carly with a kick to the ribs! Carly stumbles back into the turnbuckle."_

xXx

Paige's boot came stomping down on Carly's chest, the blows thudding through her body, driving her to the ground before the referee got Paige to back off. Carly's whole ribcage ached. But she had to get up, had to get away from the ropes. That was dangerous territory around Paige.

Carly hauled herself to her feet and stumbled forward. Paige was ready. She caught Carly by the hair and sent her flying, crashing onto her back. Winded and disoriented, Carly struggled to recover.

xXx

"_Looks like Paige finally has the upper hand, and it looks like she's setting Carly up for a PTO!"_

xXx

Not tonight she wasn't. Carly kicked upwards, catching Paige right on the chin. Paige staggered back. Carly scrambled to her feet, grabbing Paige's head and forcing it down as she brought her knee up.

Carly's kneecap slammed into Paige's forehead. Paige dropped to her knees. Carly stepped back and hit her with a roundhouse kick to the side of the head. Paige slumped to the ground, insensible, and lay motionless where she fell. Carly dove for the cover.

xXx

"_And she's got it! In an astonishing upset, the Rebel Princess, Carly Caden, just defeated the Diva's Champion!"_

"_I don't believe it! First Carly throws a microphone at Paige, which was completely unfair, and then that crazy hellcat gets hit in the head and _laughs_? What kind of a person does that? I tell you, Michael, Carly Caden is starting to act just like that lunatic, Dean Ambrose."_

"_There's nothing crazy about fighting smart and winning. So what if Carly borrowed tactics from Dean Ambrose? He was the United States Champion, after all."_

"_Yeah, but he's nuts!"_

"_Regardless, the Authority's attempts to stop Carly Caden have backfired, as she once again proved that she does not intend to go quietly."_

xXx

"_You _stay down, champ," Carly growled in Paige's ear.

Carly got to her feet and pushed her hair back from her face. It was only at this point that she realized that the audience was cheering. Quite loudly, in fact. As the referee raised her hand, that strange, wild laughter escaped Carly's lips again. She couldn't quite stop it. Adrenaline, that's all it was. After all, she'd gone a little laughing mad when she beat Stephanie, hadn't she?

The moment she stepped backstage, Carly found herself being hug-mobbed by Naomi, Natalya, and Emma.

"Congratulations, Carly!" Emma exclaimed.

"Pretty impressive work out there," Natalya added with a grin.

"Thanks," said Carly, unable to smother another half-nervous laugh, "But it was a fluke. I caught her off-guard, that's all."

"Still," said Naomi, "You got the chance to teach her a lesson, and did you ever. Good for you, girl."

The Shield had been standing back to let the women get their congratulations in. But after they dispersed, the boys pulled Carly off to the side. Paige would be coming through soon and they didn't want to be in the way of that. Seth was staring at Carly with an expression that was somewhere between incredulity and concern.

"You had it covered alright," he said, "Carly, that was… that was something."

But Seth managed to smile, and Carly managed to smile back. She had to breathe, calm down, and stop bursting out laughing already. Dean took her by the shoulders and looked her over.

"Two victories in a row. That's officially a winning streak, princess," said Dean, grinning, "You're alright? You're not hurt at all?"

"I think she left footprints on my sternum," said Carly, not quite managing to stifle a giggle, "But aside from that, I'm fine."

"It'd take more than that to break our girl," Roman smiled proudly, "You're made of pretty tough stuff."

"Yeah, well," she said.

Suddenly, the adrenaline rush Carly had been riding fell away. The smile faded from her face. She didn't feel like laughing anymore. She didn't even feel like she'd _won_. Carly pressed her shaking hands over her mouth.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Dean asked worriedly, "Carly, are you crying?"

"No," Carly said even as she blinked back tears. What was the matter with her?

"C'mere," said Roman, laughing gently as he pulled Carly into his arms.

"I'm sorry, guys. I don't-" Carly managed before her voice broke. Roman held her a little tighter.

"It's alright," he said, "Don't worry about it."

"I don't get it," Dean said quietly, "She _wins_, and then she _cries _about it."

"Shut up, Dean. You're not helping," said Seth, smacking him on the arm, "Coming down from an adrenaline rush can do weird things to your emotions. You'll be fine in a minute, Carly."

Seth smoothed her hair back comfortingly as he spoke, giving her a reassuring smile. Carly hoped he was right. Seth was usually right. But she felt lousy all of a sudden, and she wasn't so sure adrenaline had anything to do with it.

"You did good, princess," Dean added, "We're all proud of you."

First Dean and then Seth added themselves to the hug, not caring that they were blocking the entire hallway, and stayed there until Carly regained her composure. There was probably some cheap poetic symbolism in the Shield surrounding her like that, but Carly was just grateful to be surrounded by the warmth and strength of her friends.

xXx

It had been what Carly would call a "greenhouse day", and the night didn't improve the weather much. Even after the sun went down, the air was thick with a humid, hazy fog that obscured the golden light that streamed from the windows and blurred the surroundings, softening them into silence. The chirping of crickets sounded lethargic in the heat. Not so much as an inkling of wind stirred the leaves. The humidity had undone any comfort Carly had received from that shower, but still she stayed sitting out in the hotel parking lot.

Her mind was already uneasy, so the mugginess settling on her skin was secondary. What had happened at the show bothered her. Maybe it shouldn't, but it did. The boys didn't seem to see anything wrong with what she'd done. Well, Seth _had _looked a little surprised. But they hadn't been wary of her like they were the night she'd lost her temper at them. For some reason, Carly felt like they should have been wary tonight.

A strident alert noise from her phone startled Carly out of her thoughts. It was a text from Roman: _Hey, went to check on you but you didn't answer your door. You alright?_

_ Yeah, sorry, _Carly replied, _I'm fine. I just decided to sit outside for a bit._

When Roman didn't respond, Carly assumed he had gone to bed. But a few minutes later, she saw him walking across the parking lot towards her. He sat down on the grass next to her, smiled, and tilted his head back to look at the sky without saying a word. A downy bank of clouds obscured any starlight from view. Carly pursed her lips, trying to recollect her thoughts. Roman's silence gently demanded an explanation from her, and Carly knew she'd have to come up with answers because –

"You know that if I sit here long enough, you're gonna tell me what's bothering you," Roman said finally.

Carly smiled ruefully. Roman had a way of drawing the truth out of a person, whether they liked it or not. That was one of the things that made him such a good friend for Dean. Roman was the only one who wouldn't be thrown off by any evasiveness.

"Did you hear what JBL called me?" Carly asked.

"What, 'crazy hellcat'?" said Roman, "You can't pay any attention to what JBL says. His entire vocabulary is made up of insults and ass-kissing."

Carly couldn't quite smother a snort of laughter. Roman certainly didn't beat around the bush.

"But he's not wrong," said Carly, "The way I fought tonight… honestly, it scared me a little."

"Why would that scare you?" said Roman, "Take a look at your own highlight reel: you once hit Triple H with a folding chair, bit Randy Orton on the arm, beat up about half the roster with a kendo stick, and tried to claw your way through about a dozen guys before getting kicked out of the arena for assaulting security."

Yeesh. Listing them out like that made Carly sound like far more of a badass than the hapless, reckless moron she actually was.

"But those were things I did because I was trying to help you guys," Carly protested, "I only ever lost it like that when I thought you were in trouble. But tonight, I just wanted to _hurt _Paige. She tricked me, betrayed me, humiliated me, and beat me half to death, and all I wanted to do was make her pay for it, make her suffer. I hate her for what she did to _me_. It's the most selfishly angry I've ever been."

"Hmm," Roman paused a moment, "So the other night, when I told Evolution that I'm gonna teach them to believe in me, specifically, was that selfish?"

"Of course not!" said Carly indignantly, "After everything they've done to you?"

She looked over at Roman, who watching her, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"So how is what you did tonight any different?" he asked.

"Oh," said Carly. She hadn't thought about it like that, "But still, look at me. I always say I'm all about keeping things fair and honorable, and what did I do tonight? I cheated. Threw a microphone at her face. That's not something _I'd _do, that's… that's something _Stephanie _would do."

The mere act of comparing herself to Stephanie made Carly uncomfortable. She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling lousy all over again.

"And that's what scares you?" said Roman, "You think you're turning into her?"

"Maybe," said Carly, "I guess I don't like knowing that I have the capacity to be as cruel and underhanded as her or Paige. That maybe I'm not that different from them. Maybe I am a McMahon after all."

"Hey," said Roman, laying a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not gonna let you think that kinda thing about yourself."

The stern, half-serious way he said it made Carly laugh again.

"You wouldn't be worrying about this if you were like them," Roman went on, "That alone proves that you still got a heart and a conscience, and that's more than I can say for Paige or Stephanie."

"It's just," said Carly, "All these things people call me, and I still don't really know what I am."

"McMahon, princess, hellcat," Roman shrugged dismissively, then smiled at her, "_Carly_. As long as you're that, you don't have anything to worry about, alright?"

"Alright," Carly said softly.

Roman wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"That's my girl," he said, "From one superhero to another, though, I gotta say - hitting Paige with the microphone _was _really funny."

"Yeah, it kinda was," Carly admitted, "Thank you, Roman."

"Anytime," he said.

It was alright now. As long as the Shield still believed in her, Carly knew she couldn't be that far gone.

xXx

"Contract signing, huh?" said Roman, "That's gonna get interesting."

"How could signing a contract possibly be interesting?" Carly asked.

Her confusion was met with incredulous stares from the Shield. Carly wasn't quite sure what she was missing, and she was still baffled by the idea that sitting around and signing a piece of paper was considered exciting enough to be the final event of the broadcast.

"Uh, you _saw _the recaps of what happened when there was a contract signing between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker, right?" said Dean.

Of course she'd seen that. Seeing the Undertaker stab Lesnar with a pen and then chokeslam him through the table was pretty unforgettable.

"Yeah. I assumed that was an unusual thing. Like, the exception to the rule. Oh," said Carly, realizing, "That wasn't the exception, was it?"

The boys shook their heads. Oh dear.

"All contract signings around here are formalities," said Seth, "They don't mean anything. It's just an excuse for a fight."

"And we aren't stupid enough to go out there thinking otherwise," said Dean, "We aren't gonna play at standing on ceremony. If it's a brawl they want, then that's what they're gonna get."

Roman nodded, grinning eagerly. Seth's face was slightly serious, but in a way that was more businesslike than worried. Carly agreed with that outlook. In their last confrontation, the Shield had been more than a match for Evolution. There was no reason the same shouldn't hold true tonight. Still, Evolution was a wily, underhanded bunch, and Carly knew they'd be willing to do pretty much anything to "send a message" to the Shield.

"My only question is, what do we do with the princess?" said Roman, "I mean, I highly doubt Paige would come after her if she stayed backstage, but do we really wanna risk that?"

"Well, she can't come down to the ring with us," said Seth, "Not if we want to keep this a straightforward fight."

Valid points both. Carly didn't want to put herself in the position of becoming a liability, but she also didn't want to be unable to help if help was needed.

"I have an idea," said Carly, "Safest place in the arena: the audience."

"You're gonna use the entire WWE Universe as a shield?" Dean laughed, "Carly, I like the way you think."

"That's actually not a bad idea," said Seth, "Just… promise you'll try to stay out of trouble, unless it's absolutely necessary, alright?"

"I promise," said Carly, "Let the fight go on until they start cheating. Same plan as always."

As luck would have it, Carly was able to find a seat on the floor, near-ish to the announcers' table. The people sitting nearby kept shooting her funny looks, like they weren't quite sure if this was actually Carly Caden or just somebody who looked like her. Carly just smiled at them. They'd have a good story to tell, especially if she had to run in and get involved. She was hoping she wouldn't have to. It would be much more enjoyable to watch the Shield stomp Evolution into the ground than have to forcibly level the playing field.

The Shield didn't even give Michael Cole enough time to introduce the contract signing before they began their entrance. It made them look overeager. Triple H was sure to pick up on that. Carly wished they would've waited.

The Shield set to work as soon as they stepped into the ring. Dean took the microphone from Mr. Cole, and Roman ushered him out of the ring. Mr. Cole, probably aware of what was about to go down, didn't seem all that reluctant to leave. Seth picked up the contract.

"Tonight is _historic_," said Dean, "Tonight is the last time you will see the Shield and Evolution in the same ring on Raw."

As Dean spoke, Roman picked up one of the chairs, carried it over to the ramp side of the ring, and tossed it onto the floor. He continued to methodically, unhurriedly clear the ring while letting the other two do the talking.

"Because, believe me," Dean went on, "At Payback, one team isn't just going to be eliminated from a match. One team, and that team _will _be Evolution, believe me, that team is gonna be eliminated out of this business, off the face of the earth, forever."

Dean's voice had risen to a fever pitch. His enthusiasm was contagious to the crowd. But Roman was still moving furniture, and Seth was still completely unflappable.

"Besides, who are we really kidding with this nonsense out here?" said Seth, absently kicking one of the chairs, "This thing with Evolution has gone way past the six of us sitting across a table from each other, signing some silly piece of paper. Let's rearrange this place, get rid of this stuff, and let's get down to business."

Dean, no longer able to contain himself with just pacing, seized the last chair, ran to the edge of the ring, and threw it full force into the pile Roman had made. Roman picked up the table and tossed it onto the heap as well. As Seth flipped through the contract, Evolution finally decided to make their entrance.

"I want everybody to be aware of what they're witnessing right here," Triple H said calmly, "I want you guys to be aware of what you're about to sign. You sign that, and what all of you are witnessing is the last time you will see the Shield, ever, on Monday Night Raw."

In the ring, Seth was smiling smugly, Dean was unable to hold still, and Roman just stared evenly with the intense calm that always came over him before a battle. Carly shifted in her seat uneasily. She really did not like all this "last time ever" talk. It was all just bluster from Triple H, right? There was nothing he could _actually _do to the Shield. And Carly was certain the Shield would be victorious once again at Payback. There was nothing to worry about, really. And yet, there was a sinking feeling in the pit of Carly's stomach that she couldn't quite reason away.

"It's a shame," said Triple H, "I gotta tell you, it's a shame. You guys coulda had it all. I'm a pretty fair judge of talent. You don't have to look any further than the two guys standing next to me to know that. And I remember, I remember looking at you guys, I remember watching the ink dry on the contract that allowed you to come here and live your dream. And I remember thinking to myself, these guys are gonna change it all. These guys are the future of the WWE. And you threw it all away. And, ironically, now I'm gonna stand here and I'm gonna watch the ink dry on the contract that, Sunday at Payback, sends you right back into obscurity. So I am gonna ask you one more time, you sure you wanna sign that? You sure you wanna put your names on that paper and ensure that Sunday is the last we ever see of the Shield?"

The tension between the three men standing inside the ring and the three standing on the floor was electric. There was a moment of silence, before a "Hounds of Justice" chant began. Seth, completely unfazed by Triple H's monologue, flipped to the last page of the contract and signed. He passed the pen and paper to Dean, who, in his twitchy eagerness, dropped the pen twice before he could steady his hand enough to sign.

After Roman signed, he slowly walked to the edge of the ring and tossed the contract to the floor, forcing the Game himself to stoop to pick it up. One by one, Evolution added their names to the page. Triple H raised the microphone.

"You're gonna be nothing but a statistic-"

"Just shut up," Roman interrupted, "Get in the ring, and fight."

The crowd screamed. Triple H tossed the mic aside, and Evolution climbed onto the apron, stared at the Shield. Carly leaned forward anxiously. This was it.

Or, no. Maybe it wasn't. For a second, it looked like Evolution was going to walk away, but Carly didn't even have enough time to breathe a sigh of relief before they leapt into the ring and the fight began. Orton and Seth and Triple H and Dean brawled in the ring, while the fight between Batista and Roman spilled onto the floor.

Triple H went for a Pedigree, only for Dean to counter and flip him over the ropes. Seth and Dean combined forces to send Orton flying after him. Seth took a rebound for momentum and flipped over the top rope to come crashing down on both of them.

Carly was on her feet the second she saw Triple H reach for the ring skirt. She knew exactly what he was going for. She cursed herself for not being smart enough to think of getting that stupid sledgehammer removed beforehand. She ran towards the ring, determined to stop Triple H if she had to wrestle that hammer out of his hands herself.

Carly dashed through the timekeeper's area, but shrieked as somebody grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her up short. She struggled wildly against Randy Orton as he dragged her towards the barricade. He locked his arms around her head and hauled her over the barrier so she was suspended by her shins on the wall and his grip on her neck. This was bad. Carly knew exactly what was coming next if she couldn't get free. She scratched at Orton's side and arms vainly as she felt him fall backwards.

xXx

Her head hurt. Blurry figures leaned over her. Carly furrowed her brows. She was pretty sure somebody had just asked her a question.

"Can you hear me?" the medic repeated.

"What? Yeah, I can hear you," said Carly, before realization finally seeped into her foggy brain, "Roman? Seth? Dean? Where are they? Are they okay?"

Hands were on her arms and shoulders, holding her down. Carly struggled against them.

"Please, miss. You need to stay calm," said the medic.

"Carly?" one of the other blurry shapes said. It took Carly a second to recognize the voice as John Cone's, "Listen to me. They're okay. They're all being taken care of now."

"They're alright?' Carly repeated.

"Yes," he said, "I promise. You just cooperate with the medics, alright?"

Relaxing a little, but only a little, Carly nodded and stopped fighting to get up. The medic started asking her questions, prodding at her neck, asking if he was hurting her at all. No, he wasn't. Only her head hurt, not her neck.

This sucked. Not even a week away from Payback, and Evolution had to go and pull a dirty trick again. Was déjà vu always this painful? Carly only just now realized that Evolution's stupid song was still playing in the arena. Fantastic.

The medics were discussing something about bring the Shield back to the trainer's room, and something about calling for a stretcher.

"I can walk," Carly interrupted.

"Are you sure?" asked the medic, "You don't have to."

"I can walk," Carly repeated firmly.

She sat up, relying heavily on the assistance of the officials and medics, and slowly got to her feet. Her head was pounding, the entire arena was spinning. She felt herself breaking into a cold sweat as her stomach dropped. Carly willed herself not to be sick. Stupid concussions. Stupid Randy Orton. Stupid everything right now.

As soon as she'd gathered enough strength to, Carly looked around. The announcers' table was a wreck, and so was Roman. She guessed he'd gone through it. He looked every bit as dazed as she felt. Seth's face was blank and drawn, but there was that pained, tired look in his eyes again. Dean just looked mad, insisting on staggering on without any help, clutching at his ribs and practically doubled over in pain.

Nobody was inclined to talk as they were taken back to the trainer's room. Carly sat off to the side, waiting while the medics checked the boys over. Fortunately, the overall diagnosis was "hurt but not injured." The Shield would be fine going into Payback. Well, fine physically. Once again, any pain they received at the hands of Evolution only added fuel to the fire.

"They're gonna get theirs," Dean was muttering, "And I'm gonna enjoy giving it to them."

The anger in his voice was focusing into a fierce eagerness. Dean Ambrose could be hurt, but never stopped. Nothing kept him down for long. Carly sometimes suspected he had Wolverine's mutant regeneration powers. For his morale, at least, if not as far as his body was concerned.

"I'm going to enjoy watching that," said Carly, "Guys, I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough to stop Triple H. I should've seen that coming."

Apparently Triple H had gotten them all with the sledgehammer. Forget hiding in the audience. Carly should've hid under the ring to make sure none of that nonsense happened. Seth gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it," said Seth, "We all came out of it alright, right? More or less."

"And come Sunday," said Roman, "We're gonna repay Evolution tenfold for everything they've done."

Roman's expression was grim and proud. He looked for all the world like a knight out of an old story swearing an oath of vengeance.

"Right," said Seth, "We'll prove, once and for all, that the Shield was and always will be better than Evolution. Evolution will be destroyed by the Shield, not the other way around."

Seth had taken on the tone of a captain about to lead his men into battle. Dean stood and placed his hand on Seth's back. Seth flinched ever so slightly, then looked back up at him.

"We're gonna go down in history, boys," Dean grinned, "Nobody's ever gonna forget this."

"Not ever," said Roman.

And Carly believed that was true.

xXx

Friday had been strangely uneventful. Evolution was nowhere to be seen at the broadcast, and the Shield wasn't scheduled for any matches. Carly figured that Evolution wanted the Shield to be relatively undamaged for their match on Sunday. For purely selfish reasons, of course. If they lost to a Shield that wasn't at 100%, they would prove to the world what old has-beens they really were. And it'd be a hollow victory, even for Evolution, to win a final showdown with opponents who were not at full strength.

The Shield had only shown up to make grim promises about what Evolution would face come Sunday. Carly had not been afraid of the Shield, not since the first day she fought under their colors. But tonight, she was afraid, and she could not truthfully say if she was afraid _for _them, or _of _them. The cold anger in their voices, and the violent determination in their eyes was enough to make even Carly shrink back. If Evolution did not take them seriously, even now, then they were fools.

The whole next day, Carly had the feeling she was holding her breath. The Shield was ready, eager, almost bursting with anticipation. She almost couldn't stand to listen to them strategizing anymore. Those ominous words in Triple H's voice kept echoing in her mind: "the last we ever see of the Shield." But that couldn't be true. It wasn't. And yet, they couldn't go on like this forever. After everything that had happened over the past few months, something had to give. Carly tried to focus on just breathing, until she realized that she felt sick with every exhale. The day wore on.

xXx

It was past midnight when Carly finally gave up on trying to sleep, stuck her room key and some loose change in the pocket of her bathrobe, and set out to look for the nearest vending machine. If she couldn't sleep, at least she could have a Kit-Kat bar or something. Carly was surprised to see a familiar face already there. Standing in contemplation in front of the vending machine was Seth, barefoot, his hair pulled back, wearing an old t-shirt and lounge pants. Strangely enough, he didn't seem to notice her. Seth was usually very aware of his surroundings. Carly folded her arms and leaned against the wall.

"Shouldn't you be in bed already?" Carly admonished.

Seth looked up in surprise, but smiled when he saw that it was Carly.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said.

"But I don't have a match tomorrow," said Carly, "Are you alright?"

"I… yeah, I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep."

Seth glanced away and rubbed the back of his neck, laughing a little awkwardly. Now Carly was certain that something was wrong. Of the three members of the Shield, Seth Rollins had the best poker face. If she was able to tell that he was lying, then something definitely wasn't right.

"Then would you care to join me for some terrible hotel coffee? Decaf, of course," said Carly.

"How could I pass up an offer like that?" Seth grinned.

He was still oddly withdrawn and silent as Carly brought him back to her hotel room and made the coffee. Seth sat cross-legged on the end of one of the beds. He couldn't seem to keep his hands still. The way he looked at that moment put Carly in mind of a little boy who was troubled by nightmares. Carly loved all her hounds equally, but it was true that she had a soft spot for the Architect. That was something she and Dean shared.

Carly poured two cups of coffee: one that was creamed and sugared within an inch of its life for herself, and one black for Seth. Having spent this long with the Shield, she didn't even have to ask how they took their coffee. Carly practically had to hold the cup right under Seth's nose before he noticed that she was offering it to him.

"Thanks," he said.

Carly sat down on the other bed. She wasn't sure how to break the silence. Seth sipped his coffee absently, apparently unconcerned by how scaldingly hot it was.

"Why can't you sleep?" he asked suddenly.

"I'm worried about tomorrow," Carly admitted, "How are you and Dean and Roman holding up?"

"Roman isn't worried. He's a rock. I don't know how he does it," said Seth, smiling faintly, "And Dean, well, he _sleeps _like a rock no matter what's going on."

"And what about you?" Carly pushed when he didn't continue.

Seth set the empty cup down on the floor and rubbed his eyes, sighing.

"There are so many variables," he said, "My mind keeps trying to run through all of them to make sure I have contingency plans for every possible situation. But I keep running into scenarios where everything just goes horribly awry."

"You've beaten Evolution once," said Carly, "You can do it again."

"Highly probable, but still…" Seth shrugged, "Everybody keeps saying that this is all going to end at Payback, but I'm not so sure. Even if we do win, I don't think Triple H is going to let it go that easily."

Carly wanted to deny that, but she knew Seth was right. They had had more than their fair share of altercations with the Authority. They were a relentless enemy, and nothing short of a game-changing curve ball could stop them. Carly had never seen Seth this subdued. Somehow, all words failed her save for one reassuring cliché.

"I believe in the Shield," she said.

Seth couldn't help but grin.

"I remember when we first met you," he said, "You were so afraid of us."

"Well, you guys don't exactly seem all warm and cuddly at first glance," said Carly, "I have to tell you, I've never been more happy to be proven wrong."

Seth shifted abruptly so that he was turned to face Carly directly. His eyes were lit with a sort of desperate earnestness.

"But you know us now," he said fervently, "You know _me_. Tell me you'll always believe in me the way I am right now, no matter what happens. Please, Carly, I need to hear somebody say it."

Carly stared at him in surprise for a moment. She couldn't imagine what had brought this on, but it was clear that whatever was on Seth's mind had him well and truly distressed. Carly moved to sit beside him on the other bed, taking his hands in hers.

"Seth Rollins, I will always believe in you," Carly said sincerely, "No matter what."

Seth leaned forward and embraced her tightly. He took a shuddering breath as he rested his head against her shoulder, seemingly unwilling to let go. Carly rubbed his back comfortingly.

"It's alright, Seth," she said, though she wasn't sure exactly what she was reassuring him about, "It's gonna be alright."

"Thanks, Carly," he said softly.

**(Note: Thank you to the lovely people who left feedback!)**


	14. And it's About to Explode

_**(Note: A thousand thanks to the lovely people who left reviews!)**_

**And it's About to Explode**

She should leave. The Shield was getting focused and ready for their match. Carly knew she should go. But she couldn't deny that she was afraid to let them out of her sight.

Dean was dancing and singing softly to himself, naturally. Roman was finishing up taping his wrists. Seth was staring off into space, his hands as restless as a cat's tail. It was time for her to go.

"Well," she said. Her voice ricocheted jarringly through the silence, "Good luck. Take care of each other out there, alright?"

"Alright," said Roman, smiling faintly.

"We don't need luck," Dean said confidently, "Evolution's is about to run dry."

Seth said nothing. Carly didn't know if he'd even noticed that she'd spoken. If anything, he looked worse than he had last night. Well. This wasn't getting any easier. With an awkward nod at the Shield, Carly turned to leave. Before she could get two steps, she was halted by a hand grabbing onto her arm. Seth pulled her back and hugged her tightly. He stepped away just as quickly, before she'd even had a chance to return the hug.

"Thanks," he said tersely.

Carly smiled at him and hesitated a second more, then turned and walked off. She would be very glad when tonight was finally over.

She probably could've gotten a seat in the arena to watch everything go down. She could've hung around one of the backstage monitors like she had at Extreme Rules. But Carly didn't feel up to being around people, whatever the outcome of tonight was. Once again, she found an empty dressing room, picked the lock, and shut herself inside.

The air in the room was strange, at once still and silent but humming with all the energy of the arena and everyone in it. Carly flicked on the monitor and settled herself onto a couch to wait. The Divas Championship match was still going on. Carly didn't know who was fighting Paige and she didn't really care. It would be an understatement to say that her thoughts were elsewhere.

Suddenly, Carly heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Fantastic. Some maintenance person or arena employee must've seen her go into the dressing room. She'd have to do some quick talking to avoid getting kicked out. But the last thing Carly expected was for the door to open to reveal Stephanie McMahon.

Carly could feel the blood drain from her face as she stared in shock at her smiling half-sister. What on earth was she doing here? They hadn't so much as crossed paths since their match nearly two months ago. Carly jumped to her feet as Stephanie stepped into the room.

"What do you want?" Carly snapped.

"Now, just calm down," said Stephanie, throwing up her hands, "I'm not here to hassle you. I can be a woman of my word, too, you know."

"That's nice. Do you want a sticker?" Carly said sarcastically, "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"Alright, Miss Impatient," Stephanie laughed, "It was brought to my attention that you came in her alone. And I thought it must be so lonely for you, to have to watch your little friends get beaten all by yourself. So I thought I'd come down here and join you, and we can watch the match together."

Carly wanted to slap that insincere smile right off Stephanie's face. She was speechless in disbelief. Not only would she have to watch what was sure to be a brutal match, but she'd have to endure this woman's mockery the whole time? Carly felt sick.

"Unless, of course, you have somewhere else to be," said Stephanie, folding her arms and smirking.

Carly almost ran, almost stormed out of the room. But you know what? No. It was going to be all too satisfying to see the look on Stephanie's face when the Shield destroyed Evolution. Carly gestured to the couch with mock politeness.

"Oh, no. By all means, dear sister," she said, her voice dripping with distain, "Be my guest."

Carly sat down, trying to look as relaxed as possible, as Stephanie sat beside her. This was going to be a long match.

Evolution entered first. Batista, inexplicably enough, was wearing blue. Carly knew he'd worn red at Extreme Rules, but that was somehow less glaringly out of place when the other five men were wearing black. Carly was calling it right now – everybody in the WWE Universe just thought up the nickname "Blue-tista" at the same time.

Carly watched in silence and tried to keep the worry from her face as the Shield entered. Stephanie, curse her, looked as smug and unconcerned as ever. But the boys were ready.

Evolution and the Shield lined up on either side of the ring, staring each other down. Evolution was blank-faced, arrogant - three seasoned warrior kings - each one confident, but each standing alone. The Shield stood their ground but strained forward – the hounds, the fearless knights – ready to fight and sacrifice with and for their brothers-in-arms.

Dean and Randy Orton charged at one another almost before the bell started to ring, and the battle began. It was evenly matched, to begin with, starting in the ring and soon spreading so only Triple H and Seth were left within the ropes. Then Seth caught Triple H with a kick to the head and followed him as he rolled out of the ring.

It was almost something of a relief, having the action so split up that the cameras didn't know what to show. Carly couldn't focus on one thing long enough to be too concerned because there was Roman and Batista, and how on earth did that bank of lights get broken? No matter, Dean was completely in control of Randy Orton. But then Seth was getting tossed into the barricade by Triple H. Oh boy.

Seth tossed Triple H back to ringside. The cameras showed Randy Orton slamming Dean spine-first onto the top of the barricade while the announcers shouted about Roman throwing Batista into the steel steps. The fighting had converged now. Everybody was ringside. The tables were turning on Dean and Seth a bit, but Roman was still going strong.

And then suddenly, this brawl broke down into a wrestling match. Roman had thrown Batista into the ring and was now going to work on him. Orton and Triple H stood on the apron in Evolution's corner. Seth was in the Shield's corner, but Dean had yet to make it back from being tossed into the timekeeper's area. And now there was nothing to distract Carly from what was sure to be a hell of a fight.

Seth was tagged in and continued to wear Batista down as Dean finally made it up onto the apron. Seth was in control until Batista reversed an Irish whip and sent Seth flipping painfully into the turnbuckle. Carly couldn't hold back a sympathetic wince. She didn't think physics worked like that but, man, did that look painful.

Batista dragged Seth into Evolution's corner and Orton tagged himself in. Seth was trapped now, getting the living daylights beaten out of him. This was bad. Carly did everything she could to ignore the smugness that radiated off the woman sitting next to her. At least Stephanie had the decency to keep her mouth shut. But Seth was making a comeback, and leveled Orton with a dropkick to the chest. Cover and a kickout and the match went on.

Dean was tagged in, and he and Seth double-teamed on Orton, hitting him with a suplex and then a knee to the chest from Seth followed by an elbow from Dean. Dean's half-crazed enthusiasm and the sight of Orton getting stomped on did wonders for Carly's morale. Dean continued to wear Orton down before dragging him into the Shield's corner to let Roman take a crack at him.

It was still anyone's game. Orton got away from Roman and tagged Batista in, who was quickly floored by a clothesline. Roman leapt into the air and drove his elbow into Batista's chest as he landed. A headbutt disoriented Batista enough for him to stumble into the Shield's corner on his own, and then it was Dean's turn.

Batista rallied quickly and caught Dean with a spinebuster, then tagged Triple H in. Carly reminded herself not to bite her lip, or wring her hands, or do anything to alert Stephanie of her worsening nerves. After throwing Dean into the three of the four turnbuckles, Triple H received a boot to the face, giving Dean time to roll away and tag Roman in. Good. This was good strategy. Frequent tags made sure no one got worn out too quickly.

Time seemed to stop for a moment. Roman slowly stepped into the ring, walking forward as Triple H sized him up. They circled each other with wary confidence as the crowd screamed. Roman, his chin raised proudly, actually _winked _at his opponent. If Carly hadn't been so anxious she might've laughed. Triple H seemed almost stunned for a moment, before anger broke through his incredulous expression. He circled back, Roman following his every move. Both men stared each other down. But Triple H was calm. Roman was starting to get impatient.

Just when Carly thought Roman was about to charge, Triple H made the first move. They fought into the center of the ring. Triple H rebounded off the ropes and right into Roman's shoulder, which knocked him off his feet. He scrambled back into the corner as Roman watched him, eyes wide, the mane of his hair tangled across his face. Triple H got to his feet and circled Roman once again.

Triple H kicked Roman in the ribs, and the fight was on. Triple H tried to gain momentum off the ropes again but was flipped right over Roman's head. Roman got Triple H's arm twisted around, jerking it downward to weaken his shoulder, getting to the corner so Dean could make the tag. Dean punched Trips in the ribs, then headbutted him so hard it knocked him to the ground and stomped on his chest. With a self-satisfied smile, Carly wondered how Stephanie felt about her husband getting tossed around like a rookie.

Triple H stumbled into the Shield's corner, where Roman and Seth held his arms so Dean could charge and catch him with a shoulder to the ribs. Seth came in off the tag, and Dean held Trips in place so Seth could get a running start to blast him with a clothesline. Seth hit Triple H with three consecutive suplexes. He went for the cover and got a near-fall. Trips was in trouble. Evolution was in trouble.

Dean elbowed Triple H in the spine, then dragged in into the turnbuckle just so he could stand on Trips' head. Another near-fall on Triple H. Dean hopped over the ropes and climbed on top of the turnbuckle. Unfortunately, he jumped right into Triple H's boot. Triple H managed to rally first, making that tag to Batista, who dragged Dean from the ring. Nevermind. Now the Shield was in trouble.

Batista made good use of the barricade in demolishing Dean. He hoisted Dean up over his shoulders and barbarically slammed him down _neck-first _on top of the barricade. Carly inhaled sharply at the look of agony on Dean's face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Stephanie's gaze dart in her direction. Carly willed herself to keep it together. Batista threw Dean back onto the apron, so his head was hanging over the edge. Oh no. This was going to be bad. Fired up by chants of "Blue-tista!", Batista sent a vicious kick to the side of Dean's head.

Batista climbed back into the ring, stomping on Dean's head once more for good measure. Carly was starting to feel sick again. She was very aware that her breathing had audibly quickened, and she knew Stephanie had noticed.

"Are you feeling alright, Carly?" she asked, mock-solicitously.

Out of nowhere, Triple H jumped from his corner and elbowed Dean in the head, then proceeded to rain down blows on the helpless Dean.

"Oh, it has to hurt to see your poor little boyfriend being made somebody's bitch, doesn't it?" said Stephanie.

Batista grabbed hold of Dean's legs and fell backwards, propelling Dean's body upwards, slamming his throat into the bottom rope.

"Well," Stephanie laughed, "That'll finally shut him up, won't it?"

"Give me a reason," Carly growled, her voice shaking with rage, "Give me a reason and I swear I'll wring the arrogance from your throat with my bare hands."

Stephanie only laughed again as Batista tagged Orton in. Dean couldn't even protect himself as Orton stomped on his knee, his ankle, even his hand. Sadistic creep. But as Orton hauled Dean to his feet, he began to fight back. Catching Orton off-guard with blows to the ribs, to the face, Dean was starting to pick up steam.

But not for long. Orton seized Dean by the hair and threw him to the ground, stomping viciously down onto his ribs. Carly flinched as Dean cried out in pain. Now Triple H had straddled Dean and held him by the hair while throwing punch after punch to Dean's head. Completely disoriented, Dean had no chance to dodge Triple H's knee as it came crashing down on his skull. Three times.

Dean, defying all logic and physics, somehow rallied and managed to reverse an Irish whip and somehow sent Triple H flying over the ropes and crashing to the ground. Seth and Roman leaned desperately over the ropes as Dean tried to drag himself within reach. But Triple H recovered first, pulling himself back into the ring and kicking Dean in the head.

Just as Triple H was starting to mop the floor with him, Dean managed to pull a rebound lariat out of nowhere and knock Triple H to the ground. Seth and Roman were nearly beside themselves, shouting encouragement to Dean as he crawled desperately towards them. Dean just managed to make the tag to Roman as Triple H tagged Batista. Relief flooded through Carly as Dean rolled out of the ring to safety.

Roman exploded, going after Batista like a force of nature. Roman caught him with clotheslines and punches that almost took his head clean off. As Orton tried to interfere, Seth ran in and landed a kick to his head. Seth followed him outside the ring while Roman dropped an interfering Triple H, and then ran to hit Batista with an apron dropkick.

Thank goodness. The tide was finally starting to turn in their favor. The crowd went wild as Roman signaled for a Superman punch. It connected decisively. Roman went for the cover and…

Would've had it, if not for Orton's interference, curse him. Orton went after Roman, but Dean slid into the ring to fend him off. Now all of them were back in the ring. The match had turned back into a brawl.

Seth was sent crashing to the floor, and Triple H followed. Orton and Dean were fighting ringside as well, leaving the dazed pair of Roman and Batista still in the ring. Trips sent Seth flying into the barricade. Orton slammed Dean's head twice into the steel post. Carly didn't even have to look at Stephanie to know that she was smiling.

Now Triple H was thrashing Seth left, right, and center through the audience. He dragged Seth into the tech area, slamming his head into one of the metal crates. While that had been happening, Dean had turned the momentum against Orton, and was now chasing him through the audience as well. And then… oh no. This wasn't going to end well. Triple H got his hands on something that looked like a TV monitor. While his back was turned, Seth scrambled on top of the crates. Seth dove at Triple H and right into a crushing blow to the skull from the monitor. Seth was sprawled facedown on the floor where he'd landed, unmoving.

Then the cameras switched back to the ring, where Roman and Batista were both on the floor. This was only literal in Batista's case. Roman seemed to have gained the upper hand again. (Who knew what had happened to Dean and Randy Orton.) Roman starting tearing apart the Spanish announcers' table, but Orton came flying out of nowhere and attacked him from behind. He beat Roman down to the ground, and Triple H suddenly appeared. There was no sign of Seth or Dean anywhere. Roman was in danger, and he was alone.

Triple H threw Roman into the steel steps, and Roman lay where he fell. Batista had managed to struggle back to his feet by this point. Carly felt cold all over. Roman was alone and defenseless, and surrounded by Evolution. And now Triple H dragged Roman over to the table. Carly knew exactly what was coming next. Roman, unable to fight back, was Triple-Powerbombed through the announcers' table. Hatred was becoming an all-too-familiar feeling for Carly.

Roman was down and out. Evolution stood back and seemed to be discussing something. Carly couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew enough to be very anxious about it. And of course, Evolution had to take a moment to be spiteful and hold out their fists in a mocking imitation of the Shield.

From out of nowhere, like an avenging angel, Dean came flying over the announcers' table and took down all three members of Evolution. Orton and Triple H crawled away, getting to their feet at the other side of the ring just in time for Seth to flip over the ropes and come crashing down on them like the wrath of God. Carly laughed out loud at the sudden shift in fortunes.

Dean hauled Seth to his feet as Evolution tried to crawl to safety. Dean caught up to Orton and unloaded on him, but Triple H joined into the fray. Batista dragged Seth along, and Evolution drove Dean and Seth up the ramp, throwing them into the metal barriers along the way. Triple H slammed Seth into another bank of lights.

In desperation, Seth pulled a chair from somewhere, but Triple H wrested it from his hands and brought it down hard on his back, then moved on to do the same to Dean. Orton set up another chair and slammed Dean down onto it, spine-first. Dean writhed on the floor, too badly hurt to even cry out. Seth tried to drag himself to Dean's aid, but was caught by Triple H and Pedigreed onto a chair as well.

Suddenly, Triple H pointed to the ring, and the camera swung around. Roman, God knows how, had managed to drag himself back into the center of the ring, and was now desperately trying to struggle to his feet. No. No, no, no. This was bad. This was very bad. Evolution slowly made their way back to the ring, surrounding Roman.

Roman valiantly tried to fight on, but was quickly put down by Batista and Orton. Triple H was calling out orders now. Carly watched in perplexed horror as Triple H and Orton stripped off Roman's vest and shirt, while Batista brought the steel steps into the ring. Then, as Orton slid three kendo sticks into the ring, Carly understood.

"You _bastards_," she gasped.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Stephanie said brightly.

After slamming Roman's head twice into the steel, Triple H stretched Roman across the steps so his bare back was exposed and vulnerable. Triple H held onto Roman's wrists as Orton picked up a kendo stick and passed another to Batista. Orton raised the stick high above his head and brought it screaming down. As that first strike bit into Roman's back, Carly realized that she'd never truly known hatred until this moment.

All three of them now took turns laying into Roman's back. Roman cried out in pain, and the sound pierced straight through Carly's heart. Blow after blow rained down on the helpless man. Tears stung Carly's eyes as she willed herself not to look away.

"Those spiteful, sadistic cowards!" she choked out, altogether failing to keep from sobbing in ineffectual rage and misery.

Roman screamed. Carly pressed her hands tightly over her mouth. She didn't care about that Stephanie could see her crying. She didn't even care that Stephanie was laughing. Carly felt sickened to her very soul at what she was witnessing. She would destroy Evolution. She would destroy the Authority and make them pay for everything that they'd done. She would unleash on them a hundredfold what they'd done to Roman and Dean and Seth, if it was the last thing she did.

"In the old stories," said Carly, her voice breaking unheeded, "Many acts of violence could be forgiven, but not torture. In the old stories, torturers always get what's coming to them."

"Well, it's a good thing this isn't one of the old stories, isn't it?" said Stephanie.

Carly finally turned to look at her, a fierce light in her eyes, a mirthless smile trembling on her lips.

"Give me one reason more," said Carly, "And see how quickly I can go medieval on your whole little empire."

Before Carly turned away, she could almost swear she saw a flicker of fear in Stephanie's eyes.

Orton stood in the ring, holding a chair aloft. Roman suddenly leapt to his feet and vaulted over the steel steps to land a Superman punch to Orton. The rally was short-lived, as Batista and Triple H beat him down again. Triple H hauled Roman to his feet, only to slam a chair into his ribs and bring it crashing down on his back. Roman rolled out of the ring and slumped to the floor. Carly felt sick all over again, looking at the horrific welts on his back.

Just as Roman managed to stand, Triple H struck him with a chair again. Roman staggered forward, stumbling up the ramp. As he reached the stage, Triple H struck again, sending Roman to the ground.

A shock of hope thudded in Carly's chest at what she could see, but Evolution could not. Dean, now recovered, was hiding behind a bank of lights, waiting. When Evolution closed in on Roman, Dean burst from concealment. He knocked Orton of his feet, punched at Triple H, then tore into Batista. Bless Dean's crazy, valiant heart. He was trying to take on all three at once to save Roman.

And save Roman he did, but only by drawing all their fire. Evolution now concentrated their attack on Dean. Triple H and Batista anchored the bank of lights while Orton hauled Dean over it, setting up for a DDT. Orton fell backwards, and Dean's head bounced off the steel of the stage, laying him out cold. Only now did Carly start to wonder where Seth was. He'd been put out of commission by that Pedigree up on the stage, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

Evolution turned its attention back to Roman. Triple H threw down another chair, and the three of them herded Roman towards it. As they surrounded him, preparing to do their worst, a movement near the top of the screen caught Carly's eye and answered the question of what had happened to Seth.

Somehow, God knows how, that reckless maniac had climbed up the backside of the TitanTron and was now standing balanced on top of it. Carly's stomach dropped. In a split second, Seth calculated his trajectory and threw himself down onto Evolution. Now all six men were sprawled out on the stage. Seth writhed on the ground, his face contorted in pain.

Carly stared in shock. What on _earth _was he thinking, pulling a stunt that suicidally crazy? He saved Roman, true, but at the expense of his own body, and Roman's, too. Just like what he'd done at Extreme Rules, only that time Dean took the brunt of it.

Seth was moving now, dragging himself down the ramp towards the ring. He could barely crawl, only finally getting to his feet at the base of the ramp. Seth staggered forwards and managed to pull himself into the ring. Evolution was close behind.

Batista got into the ring as well, charging at a cornered Seth who caught him with a boot to the face. Seth struggled, forced his body to climb up to the second rope. He leapt down at Batista only to be caught by a spear. Batista grabbed Seth, setting up for a Batista Bomb.

But Seth fought free, jumping over Batista's head and leaving him open for a spear out of nowhere by Roman. As Roman rolled away, Seth rolled back to the downed Batista. Seth's arm was across Batista's chest. The ref's hand hit the mat one, two, three times, and finally, thank goodness finally, Batista was eliminated.

Unable to stop herself, Carly shouted and punched the air. Stephanie flinched. This was good. This was fantastic. One down and only two to go. It wasn't too late. The Shield, beaten as they were, could still win this.

Seth painfully tried to stand, unaware that Orton was doing the exact same thing behind him, and stumbled right into an RKO. Orton rolled Seth onto his back and went for the cover, but it was broken up by Roman. As Roman got to his feet on the apron, Orton caught him, dragging him through the second rope to set up for a DDT. But there was no one to watch Orton's back, and Dean came likewise out of nowhere with a chair to strike Orton down. Dean threw down the chair, caught Orton around the neck, and planted him with Dirty Deeds. One, two, three, and goodbye, Orton.

Carly laughed, relief and triumph and adrenaline mixing a strange cocktail of emotions. Stephanie's posture had faltered slightly. Carly glanced in her direction, and was pleased to see that she looked downright concerned. About time, too.

And then there was one. Triple H dragged himself into the ring as Dean eagerly scrambled to stand. But as he made a grab for Triple H, Trips' hand came up and caught him with a low blow, sending Dean to his knees. What a cheap, spiteful thing for a grown man to do. Even if it was technically legal in the match.

Triple H got to his feet, setting Dean up for a Pedigree, only to be hit by a Superman punch. Then Roman was speared by Batista.

Wait, what? Batista had been eliminated! He should've been gone. Who did Carly have to punch for letting him back in?

Oh, _now _the officials order him off. Great work, guys. You've been _real_ helpful.

Dean had been sent flying out of the ring. It was down to Roman and Triple H, both exhausted, both trying to be the first man to get to his feet.

Wait a minute, that was Randy Orton. Who let him back to ringside? What were they paying these useless zebras for, anyway? Orton ducked down and the ring skirt suddenly shifted, and Carly had the sinking feeling that she knew exactly what he was doing out there.

Orton reached into the ring, sliding the sledgehammer to Triple H. This was bad. This was extremely bad. Roman was laid out, and Triple H was struggling upright. But now Dean dragged himself into the ring. He staggered towards Triple H, but was struck down by a sledgehammer to the head. Triple H turned his gaze back to Roman, who was pulling himself up on the ropes unawares. Thus distracted, Triple H never even saw Seth Rollins climb up onto the turnbuckle, and only turned just in time for Seth's knee to collide with his face.

Triple H stumbled dazedly, leaving himself completely open to Roman, who speared him so hard it knocked the sledgehammer from his grasp. Roman lay on top of Triple H as the referee counted one, two, three.

And it was over. It was all over. Carly was too stunned, too deliriously overjoyed to even cheer. The Shield lay in the ring, exhausted, badly beaten, but victorious. Summoning some reserves of strength, Roman dragged himself over to Seth and reached out to him. Seth reached back, clasping his hand and pulling himself closer. As Seth propped himself up on the ropes, Roman crawled over to Dean, and they clasped hands as well.

Shakily, Carly stood and looked down at Stephanie, who was wearing an expression of absolute disbelief.

"Well," said Carly, "The old saying holds. The best men won."

Carly couldn't stand to wait around any longer. Taking off as fast as her legs would carry her, she ran the short distance past the locker rooms, around the curtain, and down to the ring. Roman's vest was still on the ground where Triple H had thrown it. Carly picked it up.

Roman, who had managed to stand, caught sight of her holding it. Too breathless to even speak, he gestured weakly at her, and Carly understood. Climbing into the ring, Carly carefully pulled the vest over his arms. She zipped it quickly, flashed Roman a smile, and dodged out of the way again.

Seth and Roman pulled the barely conscious Dean upright, and they stood together over Triple H's fallen body. First Roman held out his fist, then Seth, then Dean, who was only able to stay standing by leaning against Roman. Roman planted his foot on Triple H's chest.

The Shield stood together. The Shield stood victorious. _Because _the Shield stood together, they would always be victorious.

xXx

"Dean, you know I love you, man. But if you don't stop singing right now, I'm gonna come over there and kill you," Seth groaned.

"I'd like to see you try, brother," said Dean, still in a sing-song voice, "I'm invincible tonight."

"Alright, kids. No more singing or fighting, and especially no homicide. Time for sleep," Carly interrupted.

Carly sort of wanted to smack whoever had the brilliant idea of making the Shield sit through an interview after that match. Dean spent the majority of the time with his head down on the table, and the rest was spent in ill-advised sarcasm that Roman was one-hundred percent not having. Not that Carly could blame either of them. The boys had been put through the wringer tonight, and she was glad when she could finally get them back to the hotel and put them to bed.

Dean and Seth probably would've been up for going out to celebrate their victory, but Roman was in no condition to do so. Carly certainly didn't mind just ordering pizza to the hotel room and having a more or less quiet night with the Shield. But as Seth and Roman settled down for the night, Dean only seemed to get more awake.

"What she said," Roman muttered into his pillow.

After eating, Roman had stretched out on his stomach on the bed and hadn't moved since. Carly couldn't look at the poor guy's back without wincing. She took the ice-packs off it so Seth could carefully pull the sheet over Roman.

"Goodnight, Roman," Carly said, leaning down to give him a kiss on the forehead.

"'Night, Carly," he mumbled sleepily.

"But I'm not tired," Dean continued to protest as he sat up in bed.

Carly walked over, took him by the shoulders, and gently pushed him back down.

"Dean, sweetheart, you got hit in the head a lot of times," she said patiently, "Go to bed."

Dean settled his head into the pillow, then looked up at Carly with a roguish grin.

"Hmm, call me 'sweetheart' again?" he asked.

"Dean," Seth and Carly simultaneously, and in the same warning tone.

"Alright, alright. I'm sleeping," said Dean.

He curled up on his side and pulled the covers tight under his chin. For a grown man, he could be incredibly childish. Carly shook her head, and turned back to the other one who fit that description.

"You too, Seth," she said.

She watched him a little warily, remembering how difficult he'd been the last time she'd tried to look after him. Seth seemed to remember as well. He smiled disarmingly and held up his hands.

"I'm not gonna fight you on this," he said.

Seth climbed into bed carefully, doing his level best not to jostle the mattress – and, by extension, Roman – excessively. Carly drew the covers over him, and he laid his hands across his chest. Seth couldn't seem to keep his hands still, though, and even in the dim light Carly could recognize that distant look in his eyes. She sat down on the edge of the bed and placed her hand over his.

"You were very brave tonight, Seth," she said softly, "I mean, you're an idiot, but you're very brave."

"A crazy, brave little idiot," said Seth, "Wonder who else I know who fits that description."

"Hilarious," said Carly with a wry grin.

Dean suddenly shifted, mumbled something, sighed heavily, and then was still again. Carly glanced over at him confusedly.

"Is he asleep already?" she asked.

"Told you," said Seth, "He sleeps like a rock. Roman's out, too."

Sure enough, Roman's eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and even. Sleep had softened expression of pained exhaustion on his face. Carly smiled down at Seth, pushing a stray lock of hair back from his forehead.

"Get some rest, alright?" she said, "You've earned it."

Seth gave a short, quiet laugh.

"Thanks, Carly," he said.

With that, Carly got up, shut off the lights, and left, quietly closing the door behind her.

xXx

Carly, being the only one who hadn't gotten the daylights beaten out of her the night before, was also the only one to get up at the usual time. She'd expected the boys to sleep in, after what they'd been through. But now it was twenty to ten, the breakfast area had mostly cleared out, it looked like the staff was going to start cleaning up, and there was no sign of the boys. Carly frowned worriedly and considered texting one of them. Then, ignoring the confused stares of the hotel staff, she loaded up two trays with all the fruit and muffins and cereal she could get her hands on. Dropping them off at her table, she went back and started making as many waffles and slices of toast as possible in the time remaining.

She stopped at ten on the dot. No sense being rude to the employees. Carly gathered up the toast and waffles, along with some eating utensils, milk, syrup, and butter, and sat back down. Ten minutes later, just as Carly was contemplating the logistics of carrying three overloaded trays up to the Shield's room, the boys finally appeared.

"Morning," said Carly, looking them over critically, "You three look like death warmed over."

"Well, it's good to know we look better than we feel," Roman said wryly.

All three of them were moving slowly and stiffly, Roman more so than the others. He leaned forward when sat down, careful not to let his back touch the chair.

"Is this for us?" asked Dean, gesturing at the food.

"No, it's for the other three ravenous war-heroes that I know," said Carly, "Yes, it's for you. Sorry if I didn't quite get what you wanted. I just grabbed everything I could while the employees were shutting things down."

"Thanks," said Seth as he stifled a yawn, "I didn't realize how late it was."

"No problem," Carly smiled, "Go ahead and eat. I'll grab you guys some coffee. Lord knows you probably need it."

Tired and hurt though they were, the boys were in good spirits this morning. Carly listened as they talked over the events of the night before, congratulating each other on the amazing triumphs they'd made. Still, she was worried. Evolution had put them down hard after their victory at Extreme Rules, and they hadn't been nearly as damaged then. She didn't like the idea of them walking into another beat-down tonight.

"You know," she said at a lull in the conversation, "You guys could just not make an appearance tonight. Give yourselves a chance to rest and all."

"Not a chance," Dean said emphatically, "Hunter made that whole big deal about last week being 'the last time we'll ever see the Shield on Monday Night Raw'. We're not gonna give him the satisfaction of feeling like he was right, and we aren't running scared."

"I'm not saying that you are," said Carly, "I'm just saying that you guys are in no shape to defend yourselves after what you've been through. Especially not Roman."

"Don't you worry about me, princess," said Roman, "Long as I can stand, I can fight."

Of course, just like boys. They had to prove to the whole world that they were invincible, consequences be damned.

"Seth, back me up on this," Carly pleaded.

"Sorry, Carly," said Seth, "I'm on their side. We stood together yesterday, and we're gonna stand together tonight, come what may."

"Alright," Carly sighed, "But I have a bad feeling about this."

xXx

"And so long, Batista!" Dean crowed, high-fiving Roman.

Carly stared at the monitor as Triple H shouted abuse at the resolutely exiting Batista. That had been something of a surprise. She knew he'd have to go off and promote his movie eventually, but to just up and quit? Then again, the things he'd said weren't exactly untrue. Batista _had _been promised that title shot. Regardless of whether Carly or anyone else thought he deserved it, that promise had been made, and Triple H had broken it. And in this moment, the cracks were showing in the foundation of Triple H's empire. Not even their allies were protected, not really.

"I guess all those prophetic words came true," said Carly, "Only one faction survived Payback, and that's the Shield."

"Believe that, princess," Roman smiled.

But Carly wasn't about to stop worrying yet. Triple H was still ranting about how this wouldn't be over until the Shield was no more. He was like a spoiled child, determined to get his way. Only this spoiled child had the power to call down suffering and destruction on anyone who got in his way. From the stern look on Seth's face, Carly imagined he was considering this as well.

Suddenly, an intern came scurrying up to them.

"Excuse me, Roman," she said, "There's been a change in the line-up. Randy Orton has challenged you to a match, in the main event timeslot."

"Tell him I accept," said Roman.

"Wait. Roman, no," Carly protested.

"It's alright, Carly. Remember, Randy's not at one-hundred percent either. Besides," said Roman, reaching out to put a hand on Dean and Seth's shoulders, "The numbers are in our favor now."

That was true, but it did little to reassure Carly. The broadcast passed uneventfully, though. Seth and Dean discussed strategies with Roman, suggesting maneuvers that would do the most damage to Orton without putting unnecessary strain on Roman. Dean was confident, as was Roman, but Seth's hands moved more and more restlessly as the match drew nearer.

"Excuse me," Seth said, abruptly getting to his feet, "I'll be right back."

Dean and Roman shrugged at each other and continued warming up. Carly assumed Seth had gone off to think. She couldn't blame him. It was impossible to know what Triple H had in store for the Shield, but Carly was willing to bet that it was nothing near as simple as a singles match between Roman and Randy Orton. The last thing Carly expected was for Seth to return with Dolph Ziggler in tow.

"What's he doing here?" Dean asked suspiciously.

Dolph's eyes narrowed. Because of their crusade against the Authority, the Shield had an uneasy truce with much of the roster, Dolph Ziggler included. But that didn't mean they liked each other.

"We don't know what Triple H is gonna try to pull on us tonight," said Seth, "And I don't want anything to happen to Carly while we're out there, so I asked Dolph to stay with her. Dean, don't start. You know we can trust him to protect her if anything goes wrong."

"Fine, fine," Dean grumbled, "We better get going anyway."

"Don't worry, Dean," said Carly, "Be careful out there, Roman. And Seth? Everything's gonna be alright."

Seth blinked, then gave a tense nod. Poor guy. This not knowing was wearing on him just as much as it was on Carly.

"See you on the other side, Carly," said Roman, smiling with all the confidence he could muster.

Roman clapped Dean on the shoulder and the Shield began to walk away. Seth stopped suddenly. He turned back, and his eyes met Carly's. He held her gaze for a moment, opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but then stopped himself. He turned to look at Dolph.

"Take care of her, alright?" said Seth.

"I will," said Dolph, "I promise."

And with that, Seth quickly turned and hurried to catch up with Dean and Roman.

"What's eating him?" Dolph asked.

"Stress, I guess," said Carly, "He's had to deal with a lot for a long time."

"Huh. Well, come on, Carly," he said, "I scored a private locker room. We should be safe hanging out in there. Y'know, I never thought about it before, but you really _do _get jumped and kidnapped and beaten up a lot, don't you?"

Carly sat down next to Dolph in his locker room and tried to relax. She tried to focus on the incredible victory the Shield had enjoyed last night. That's right. When push came to shove and the stakes were at their highest, they'd beaten Evolution twice. Not only that, but the Shield had gotten a clean sweep in an elimination match. They'd pretty much done the impossible. They were on top of the world right now, and that was a position they'd well and truly earned.

Dolph was completely at ease. He'd thrown his arm across the back of Carly's chair, almost instinctively. Carly had to admit that it was oddly reassuring to have him there.

"I gotta say," Carly smiled at him, "You're much better company than I had watching the match last night."

"Why?" said Dolph, "Who were you with last night?"

"Stephanie."

"Yikes," Dolph winced sympathetically.

Carly put her faith in the Shield's skill and their infinite resilience. Whatever knocked them down could never keep them down. They were brothers, and that made all the difference. Carly relaxed into her seat, breathing a little easier as the Shield stepped into the ring.

"How do we look?" Dean asked, a cocky smile lighting up his face as he rolled the microphone between his palms, "Because we feel great. Bruised, beaten up, for sure. 'Cause last night we faced our biggest challenge to date: a no holds barred elimination match against Evolution. When that napalm settled, we did exactly what we were gonna do – a clean sweep. We eliminated every single member of Evolution without suffering a single casualty."

Thank goodness for Dean's infectious confidence. Carly couldn't help but smile as she watched him strut around the ring, proud as could be of himself and his brothers.

"Now that is what I call domination!" Dean shouted.

He dropped the mic as the crowd cheered in agreement.

"'Adapt or perish,' that was the whole deal, right?" said Seth, "Last night at Payback, the Shield adapted while Evolution perished. And earlier tonight, the whole world was a witness to their implosion."

Seth raised an eyebrow and chuckled, waiting for the cheering to die down.

"And the reason Evolution perished," he continued, "Was because, even though they are three of the greatest superstars in the history of this industry, last night they were not one, like the Shield. In the end, they were just three strangers who happened to be standing on the same side of the ring."

"Kinda poetic, actually," Dolph commented, "Oughta give that kid more credit."

"They weren't brothers," said Roman, laying a hand on Seth's shoulder, "The men standing in this ring are brothers. So, Randy Orton, bring your ass out here and let me break your jaw with the symbol of excellence."

Roman clenched his right hand into a fist and tossed the microphone over his shoulder. He was looking better, more ready. The rush of being this close to a fight must have overridden the pain in his body. Carly hoped he could last. Still, if anyone could, it was Roman Reigns.

But this? This could not be good.

"Would you look what the cat dragged in," Dolph muttered.

As Evolution's theme blared through the arena, Randy Orton stepped around the curtain. To Carly's dismay, he was accompanied by Triple H, and Triple H was accompanied by his sledgehammer.

"Somebody has _got _to get rid of that guy," Carly groaned.

As Orton and Triple H approached, Seth slipped out of the ring, grabbed two folding chairs from the timekeeper's area, dropped one in the ring, and held onto the other as he went back to stand with his brothers. Good. That was good thinking on Seth's part. Equalizers would not go amiss when your opponent is a madman with a hammer.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet," said Triple H, "What I do better than anybody is adapt. Last night was plan A. Tonight? Plan B. There's always a plan B."

"The hell is he talking about?" Dolph asked.

Carly just shook her head. That had been oddly cryptic. The Shield looked as confused and suspicious as Carly felt. But, not being ones to let big talk get in the way of a good fight, Dean and Roman stepped forward.

Seth did not.

Carly's heart stopped. Because in that moment, in that electric silence before, she knew.

Paralyzed, Carly watched as Seth raised the chair and swung it at Roman's unprotected back.

She was dimly aware of Dolph swearing in shocked disbelief.

Roman dropped like he'd been shot, falling facedown on the ground.

No. No, this was wrong. This was a mistake. It wasn't real. It couldn't be.

Dean froze, stared down at Roman, his face blank and uncomprehending. His eyes darted from Roman, to Evolution, to Seth, to the chair in Seth's hands. Panicked denial quickly turned to horrified realization as he stared dumbly, rooted to the spot.

Seth watched silently. There was nothing in him. There was nothing in his eyes. No anger, no triumph, no answers. He was empty.

No. This was all some horrible dream. This could not happen. There was no possible world where this could be real.

Outraged, Dean stumbled, charged towards Seth. The chair caught him in the ribs, came crashing down on his back.

Again and again, the reverberations of striking steel echoed through the ring. Seth prowled around Dean, raining down blows on his back, his chest, his arms, then Roman's back as well, until the chair was nothing more than a twisted useless wreck that he flung violently out of the ring.

Stop. My God, why doesn't he _stop_?

Seth picked up the second chair, walked slowly back to Dean. The crowd, quicker to understand than Carly had been, is chanting now. Over and over at Seth: "You sold out!"

He couldn't. They're his _brothers_. He could never –

Unconcerned, Seth stared down at Dean, who was struggling to rise. He dropped the chair at his feet, waited until Dean had gotten to his hands and knees, rebounded off the ropes and then-

Carly gasped as Dean's head was slammed into the steel. Her hands flew to her mouth to smother a sob.

"Carly?" said Dolph anxiously, "Oh my God, Carly…"

Dolph's arms were around her shoulders, but she felt nothing.

After yesterday, after everything… _How_?

Seth picked up the chair, stepped down from the ring. He walked to where those two jackals stood and waited. Seth glanced back, looked at the chair for a moment. Then, he handed it to Randy Orton.

Dolph swore loudly.

"Are you kidding me?" he shouted.

Orton stepped into the ring, brought the chair down onto Roman's back once, twice. Orton flipped the chair around and slammed it down twice more, like he was stabbing Roman's spine, then rolled Roman onto his back and stabbed at his chest once, twice, three times. Roman coughed, struggled to breathe. Merciless, that creature laid into Roman's back until he screamed.

_Stop_. Why did nobody stop him? Please, dear God, somebody _make him stop_.

Orton ripped off Roman's vest and shirt. Dean lay where he had fallen, powerless to save Roman. Triple H stepped into the ring now, and _he _followed.

They leaned over the ropes, watching, as Orton dragged Roman upright and RKO'd him onto the chair.

Now they stepped into the ring, looked down at the broken bodies beneath their feet. Triple H's arm was around _his _shoulders, his hand tousled _his _hair.

No. Don't you touch him. Get your filthy hands off him.

Nobody was going to stop this. Nobody dared.

But she would.

Carly's hands trembled as she lowered them to her sides. She stood, somehow, stepped shakily towards the door.

"Wait! Carly, don't!" Dolph scrambled to stop her.

Carly just stared at him, shook her head, kept walking.

"Please, I'm begging you. Don't go out there," he pleaded.

But he did not stop her. He knew he couldn't.

"Carly!" she heard him call one last time.

She could feel nothing. Only cold spreading throughout her body, only the twisting, sickening knotting of her insides, only the ripping, tearing in her chest. Her footsteps did not jolt. She was floating, her mind full of static.

The sound of steel beneath her feet. The muted rumble of thousands of voices. Three men standing beside the ring.

_Him._

She walked down the ramp, heard nothing, saw nothing but that figure in black. Words bursting unbidden from her lips.

"_You son of a bitch_!"

Carly raised her arm, backhanded him across the face so hard that he stumbled back.

Voices shouted, arms grabbed her, tried to pull her away.

No. No, they couldn't stop her. He wasn't going to get away.

She reached out, hands latched onto him, something ripped as they dragged her back.

"Let me go! I'll kill him. I swear to God, I'll kill him! _Let me go_!"

She was screaming now, sobbing in rage. Triple H's face leaned down close to hers, blocked out all the light.

"Oh, Carly," he chuckled, "I told you that one day, your luck was going to run out. _I win_."

Then he was gone. Then, _he _was gone.

Carly's knees gave way. It felt like the ground had fallen away beneath her. The hands that held her back lowered her to the floor. She curled tightly into herself, clutching onto that last tattered remnant of the colors she'd fought under.

It was over. Seth was gone.


	15. Flatline

**Flatline**

His things were gone when they got back to the hotel room.

Dean had helped Roman over to the bed, and then sunk to the ground at his feet. They were still sitting like that now – Dean on the floor with his head leaned against Roman's knee, Roman hunched forward, his hand resting on Dean's head. They hadn't moved, hadn't said a word.

Carly sat on the other bed and watched them. The air in here was warm and thick, but nobody cared enough to turn the air conditioner on. Her thoughts kept spinning and cycling back on each other, making her brain feel like a website that refused to load. She was… She couldn't rightly say what she was. Stunned. Devastated. Lost. Listing the words objectively made her feel a little less sick inside.

She was angry. Somebody had hurt the people she loved. She wanted to protect Dean and Roman. Wanted to hold them and take away whatever was hurting them and tell them that it would be alright. She wanted to hurt the ones responsible. She wanted to make them pay for what they did. But the person responsible – was Seth.

The conflict of the thought mired her down further. It couldn't be Seth. Or, it couldn't be the _same _Seth. The Seth that put himself in harm's way countless times for Dean and Roman couldn't be the same Seth that beat them down so brutally, so _coldly _tonight. He couldn't have been just pretending to care about them, could he? It couldn't have all been an act.

Unless that was the reason he'd been acting so differently. That was why he kept going off by himself. That was why he was so withdrawn. That's why he'd been running hot and cold on them for the past month, and none of it had seemed sincere. The mask had been slipping.

But why? _Why_?

Why turn on them now? Why turn on them at all? What had changed, and when? Or had nothing changed? Was he just like Paige, only concerned about himself and his career? Was he willing to sell out his own brothers for that?

None of it made sense.

Dean and Roman hadn't moved since they sat down. It had been ten, twenty minutes now. It broke Carly's heart to look at them. She wanted to go to them, comfort them. She couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to intrude on their grief.

They'd just lost a brother. Just the night before, they had reached the highest point, the greatest victory of their careers, and now this. Their whole world had come crashing down around them. They were hurt, and confused, and angry, and broken.

Carly was hurt and angry, too, but it couldn't compare with what they were going through. They'd known him for years, and she hadn't even known him six months.

She wanted to help. She had no right to try.

Maybe she had no right to grieve, either.

Roman stirred, sitting up a little straighter. The movement jostled Dean's head slightly. Dean did not react.

"Dean?" said Roman, his voice hoarse and quiet, "I'm gonna hit the shower, alright?"

Dean nodded, said nothing. Roman's hand lingered a moment on Dean's hair before he slowly, painfully eased himself to his feet. Carly nearly jumped up to help him, but couldn't bring herself to act.

Roman closed the bathroom door, leaving Carly alone with Dean. He still stayed there, sitting on the floor. Carly wanted to kneel down beside him, but still she couldn't. She was afraid to touch him. She was afraid to wound him further when all she wanted to do was ease his pain.

She had been powerless to stop this from happening. Now, she was powerless to fix the damage.

Something. There had to be _something _she could do. She had to step back and be practical about this. Here were two men who'd gotten the hell beat out of them. One had a badly bruised back. The way to deal with a bruise was ice, ibuprofen, and rest. Ice. They didn't have any ice.

"Dean?" said Carly. Her voice sounded sharp in the stuffy silence of the hotel room, "I'm going to go get some ice. I'll be right back."

If Dean heard her at all, he gave no sign of it. Carly gathered up the ice bucket and her key and hurried off. Something told her she shouldn't leave Dean alone for too long.

He still hadn't moved when she got back. It was frankly unnerving to see Dean Ambrose completely still and silent. More than that, it felt incredibly _wrong_. Seeing someone who was usually so full of life now brutally laid so low, it was almost like he had died.

A few minutes later, Roman emerged from the bathroom. Something in his eyes when he looked down at Dean convinced Carly that Dean's uncommunicative state worried him, too.

"Shower's free," Roman said, his voice dull and soft, "You should get cleaned up, Dean."

Dean stood stiffly, without looking Roman in the eyes. He grabbed a change of clothes from his suitcase and locked himself in the bathroom. Roman's gaze followed him, and he stared a while at the closed door. Then Roman sighed and went to the mirror to comb out his hair.

A pained groan escaped his lips when he tried to raise his arm. Roman quickly dropped his arm to his side and took a few deep breaths. Carly couldn't imagine how much he must be hurting. When he made to lift his arm again, she couldn't bring herself to stay quiet.

"Roman, wait," she said hastily.

He turned to look at her in confusion. Carly went to him and held out her hand.

"Let me?" she asked.

It was a silly thing to offer to do, Carly knew that. But, for goodness sake, she had to do _something _to help Roman, however inconsequential. After a second's hesitation, Roman handed her the comb.

"Thanks," he said.

Roman sat down on the edge of the bed. Carly noted the way his eyes followed her when she walked around to kneel behind him. He watched her almost warily, like he was afraid to leave his back vulnerable, even to her. The thought made Carly's chest ache.

"Tell me if I hurt you, alright?" she said.

"Hmm," Roman answered quietly.

Carly carefully combed out his long, dark hair, working through any snarls as gently as possible. As Roman wasn't wearing a shirt, Carly could see the whole of his poor battered back. She was amazed that he and Dean were still standing with how much torture had been inflicted on them.

Helpless anger welled up in her again. She wanted to get in the car and track down Triple H and Randy Orton and… and Seth, and make them suffer.

When Carly finished combing, she gingerly pulled Roman's hair back and secured it with a hair-tie the way he always did before he went to bed. He was nearly as unresponsive as Dean, not even seeming to notice that she was done.

"Roman?" she said, "You should lay down so we can get some ice on your back."

"Don't worry about it," Roman said gruffly, "I'll be fine."

No, no he wouldn't. Carly slid off the bed and knelt in front of Roman, taking his hands in hers and looking earnestly up into his eyes.

"You're hurt, and you're exhausted," she said, "And I'm not gonna sit here while you let yourself suffer. Please, Roman. Let me take care of you."

A faint, resigned smile flickered across Roman's face.

"Alright, Carly," he said.

He stretched out on his stomach on top of the covers while Carly put together a few makeshift ice-packs. Carly got the feeling that Roman really didn't care that he was in pain, and was only humoring her because he knew it'd make her feel better. That would have to do for the time being. Carly couldn't do anything for a broken heart, but taking care of bruises was within her power.

Though she laid the ice on his back as gently as she could, Roman gasped and flinched slightly at the touch of it. Carly sat down on the other side of the bed, taking care not to jostle the mattress too much. She felt like she should say something. She _wanted _to say something that wasn't a useless cliché, that wasn't "I'm sorry" or "Are you alright?". She wanted to say something, not to fill the silence, but to reach out to Roman so he would know he wasn't alone.

So instead of saying anything, Carly did just that. Roman's hand was laying just next to the pillow. Carly reached over and placed hers on top of his. He didn't say a word and didn't open his eyes, but his hand closed tightly around her fingers. Carly did not let go, and Roman didn't either, until a few minutes later when his breathing slowed and his hold on Carly's hand relaxed, and he slept.

Carly removed the ice-packs and sat back down beside Roman. She was glad that he'd fallen asleep (goodness knows he needed it) but she was a little worried. Now she would have to handle Dean on her own, and she didn't think she'd be equal to the task.

No sooner had she started worrying than Dean stepped out of the bathroom. He stood at the foot of the bed, staring down at Roman. Dressed as he was in sweatpants and a tank-top, and with that utterly lost look in his eyes, Dean appeared unusually vulnerable.

"Is he asleep?" he asked.

Those were the first words he'd spoken in hours. His voice sounded strained.

"Yes," said Carly, "You should sleep, too, Dean."

Dean just shook his head at the gentle suggestion. Carly never thought she'd see that expression on Dean Ambrose's face, so blank and empty. The fatal shock to his system shut him down completely. The numbness protected him, for the moment.

"Please, will you try?" said Carly.

Carly had expected Dean to go to the other bed, like he always did. Instead, he sat down on the edge of Roman's bed, near Carly. She watched his face, not entirely sure what to do next. His mouth twitched suddenly and his brows furrowed. His breathing grew quicker and more shallow, and Carly realized that Dean was trying not to cry.

"Dean?" she said.

Dean bowed his head, his shoulders trembling. He leaned forward suddenly, throwing himself into Carly's arms. The force of it knocked her back onto the pillows. Dean's arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he buried his face into her shirt, curling up beside her. Breaths heaved through his chest, and sobs forced their way out, though he grit his teeth against them.

Pity clawed at Carly's heart at seeing him so broken and defenseless. She put her arms around Dean's shoulders and held him close.

"I don't understand," he cried, his voice breaking.

"I know, Dean," said Carly, "I've got you, okay? I'm here."

Carly gently stroked Dean's hair, running her fingers through the damp curls, and let him cry until all his tears were spent. Shuddering breaths still wracked his body, but they came less frequently. Poor Dean. He was worn out by grief and pain, just like Roman was. That outburst of emotion had completely exhausted him. Still, it had done some good to quiet his troubled heart. Carly continued to hold Dean and stroke his hair long after she was certain he was asleep.

xXx

Carly opened her eyes to the pale light of morning and remembered.

She wasn't sure when she'd drifted off. Dean and Roman were still asleep on either side of her. At some point during the night, Dean must have shifted around. His head rested on Carly's shoulder, and he was hugging her arm to his chest. Roman hadn't moved an inch. It seemed that she hadn't either.

All of this was wrong. She should've gotten up half an hour ago. She should be heading down to the lobby to meet Seth for breakfast. She should be hearing the morning news on the lobby television with the volume always slightly too high, smelling the welcoming richness of fresh coffee as Seth turned his head to smile at her, his warm brown eyes meeting hers as she walked to the table. A dull, hollow ache filled Carly's chest. Seth was gone, and he wasn't coming back.

Carly gently eased herself into a sitting position, carefully trying to free her arm from Dean's hold. He stirred a little, nestling his cheek into the pillow and pressing his now empty arms against his chest, but he didn't wake up. Carly slid down to the end of the bed and stood slowly. Looking down and Dean and Roman nearly broke her heart.

Their faces were still and untroubled in the faint, grey light. As long as they slept, they could forget. They were free from the stinging memory of the night before, of how the Shield had been shattered. Their brother had betrayed them.

Carly sat down on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Seth was gone. Oh, but it was far worse than that. Seth had never been there at all.

Carly hung her head and let herself cry in silence. Her shoulders shook as tears rolled down her face. How could she have been so wrong about him? He fooled them so completely. After everything the Shield had accomplished, everything Dean and Roman had done for him, everything he had done for them. The friendship he'd given her. Every word he'd said, every moment they'd spent together. Meaningless. All overshadowed by the look on his face when she last saw him: unconcerned and expressionless, with only calculations behind his eyes.

Her breath came in shuddering gasps. It felt like she'd been thinking through the events of last night over and over endlessly, each time bringing fresh, piercing misery. But she had to stop crying sometime. She'd broken down the night before. She couldn't let Dean and Roman see her do that again, not when they had their own grief to worry about. Carly went over to the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. She filled one of the plastic cups and drank it down quickly, finding that the coolness of it helped her swallow the sadness that constricted her throat like a snake.

She didn't want to wake Dean and Roman. She didn't feel like she had any right to, but she couldn't stand to be alone any longer. She looked back at them and found that she didn't have the heart to go over and actually wake them up, and she didn't trust her voice not to break if she called their names. Perhaps there was a gentler way.

A few minutes later, Carly poured two cups of coffee, making them up the way she knew the boys preferred: Roman's with just cream, Dean's with just sugar. She had hoped the scent of brewing coffee would bring them to gradually, and it did.

Dean stirred first, rubbing his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling for a minute, and his blank expression hardened. He rolled back onto his side.

"Roman? Roman," Dean muttered sleepily.

Roman's eyelids fluttered open.

"Dean?" he said.

Dean reached out to him and they clasped hands, laying there silently for a few moments, clinging to each other in the face of bitter reality. They sat up stiffly, slowly. Their battered backs clearly pained them. Now their faces were pale and drawn, and heartache showed through their empty eyes.

They both noticed Carly at the same time. They stared at each other wordlessly for a second. Carly tried to smile, but didn't have the strength to.

"Morning," she said faintly, holding out the cups of coffee to them.

The rest of the morning passed. Nobody seemed inclined to go down to breakfast. Nobody said much of anything. Eventually, Carly went back to her own room to pack while Dean and Roman did the same. They were going through the motions, each one trying not to draw attention to the fact that something was missing. They walked out to the parking lot together after checking out. Dean went on to put his things in the car.

"I'm taking Dean home with me," Roman said, "I don't want him to be alone right now."

"Good. That's a good idea. I'm glad," Carly nodded.

"You're welcome to come, too," said Roman, "If you want to, I mean."

Carly could tell he meant that offer sincerely, and she wanted so badly to accept it.

"Thank you, but I shouldn't. I couldn't," she said, "What Dean needs right now is his brother, and I think you need him, too. I can't… I can't begin to understand what the two of you- I want for you both to help each other pull through this, and I don't feel right intruding."

"I understand," said Roman, "But remember, I'm _your _brother, too, aren't I? So if you change your mind, little sister, the invitation still stands."

Carly looked up into his kind grey eyes and fought back tears that threatened to escape. After all Roman had just been through, even though he was still in so much pain, he was still the same warm, open-hearted man he'd always been. Carly stood on tip-toe and carefully hugged him around the neck.

"Thank you, Roman," she said.

"Anytime," he replied softly.

Dean walked back over, his hands jammed into his pockets. He seemed to be avoiding looking either of them in the eyes.

"We heading out?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Roman, "I'll call you when I get home, Carly."

"Thanks," she said, "Dean?"

Dean's eyes flicked towards her, but did not reach her face.

"Take care of yourself, alright?" she said.

Dean leaned over and kissed her quickly on the cheek.

"See you around, Carly," he said, still not looking her in the eyes.

Carly got into her car and drove off, taking the long highways home faster than she should've, trying to outrun the heartache that dogged her every mile.

**(Note: Thank you once again to the lovely people who left reviews.)**


	16. Only Words

**Only Words**

Carly tried to keep busy when she got home. She did laundry, did the dishes, cleaned her apartment, anything to keep herself from just sitting and thinking. She didn't know why she'd kept the Shield patch she'd torn off of Seth's vest. A few times she got very close to burning it or throwing it away, but she just ended up shoving it in the back of the junk drawer in her kitchen. Every now and then she'd get a text from one coworker or other. They'd express condolences, denounce Seth's behavior with due shock and outrage. Carly replied much the same way to all of them, thanking them for their concern and assuring them that she was alright.

She wasn't alright. She hoped Dean and Roman were doing better than she was. No, she was certain they were. They knew how to look after each other.

Carly knew she'd been right to refuse Roman's offer. They'd just lost their brother, someone they'd been close to for years. The way she felt couldn't compare with the way they did. Still…

Carly thought she'd be alright on her own. At the very least, she thought she'd be able to _sleep_. But hour after hour dragged past as she lay there all night until dawn, unable to shut her mind up. Her thoughts hovered and circled around the questions she could not answer. It reminded her of the story of Noah on the ark, sending out a crow to search for dry ground, but it kept coming back to the ark since it didn't have a place to land. And Carly knew things were getting bad when she started coming up with stupid analogies like that.

She made it until Wednesday afternoon before the idea of being alone with her thoughts for the rest of the week was too much for her. Carly quickly grabbed her phone and called Roman before she had a chance to talk herself out of it.

"Hello?" he said.

He'd picked up on the first ring. Oh, it was good to hear his voice.

"Hey, Roman, it's just me. I was wondering if, uh…" Carly swallowed hard, tried to steady her voice, "If that offer is still good?"

"You get on the next flight down here, alright?" Roman answered without hesitation, "You're gonna spend the weekend with us. Text me when you know what time the flight'll get in, and I'll meet you at the airport."

Carly was hardly able to stammer out a thank-you and a promise that she'd let him know as soon as she knew. She hurried to get her things together. It was selfish, probably, accepting Roman's invitation. They may not need her right now, but she needed them.

xXx

It was nearly midnight when Carly's plane touched down. She felt bad about keeping Dean and Roman up that late, but her worries were eased when she saw them. They looked much better than they had on Tuesday morning. (Thank God for their infinite resilience.) There was life in their eyes again, and they both smiled when they saw her.

In spite of her protests, they insisted on helping to carry her things. Dean was apparently feeling well enough to give her a hard time about how heavy her suitcase was, so that was a relief. They would've stayed up later, but Carly was adamant that they get some sleep, and that (as the shortest) she would be perfectly comfortable sleeping on the couch. They could talk more tomorrow.

Jet-lagged as she was, Carly still couldn't sleep. She felt she'd wear a hole in her mind pacing around these thoughts of Seth. She tried sitting out on the little balcony for a while, but it was another warm and breezy night, and Cassiopeia was flickering at her on the horizon, and the harrying sense of a void beside her eventually drove her back inside. She went back to the couch and watched the pale sky brighten impatiently. Eventually, it was too much to just sit there, so she got up, took a shower, and got dressed.

It would be a while before Dean and Roman woke up, she knew. Even though they were both sound sleepers, Carly didn't want to risk waking them by turning on the TV. She should've thought to bring a book or something. She needed to do something with her hands, or she was going to go crazy.

Breakfast. Now there was an idea. She didn't feel right about ransacking Roman's pantry, but she was certain she'd seen a little grocery store down the street.

By the time Roman stepped out of his room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Carly had amassed a large stack of pancakes (fried in oil so the edges would be nice and crispy) and a heaping plate of bacon. She'd set both in the oven to stay warm and started a pot of coffee, and was now working on a large frying pan of what would soon be scrambled eggs.

"Morning," she said, pausing only long enough to smile at Roman.

"Morning," he said.

He stood and watched her, confusion creasing his forehead as he blinked sleepily. Carly set down the coffee mugs she'd found and looked back at him, suddenly feeling a little guilty. Here she thought she'd been doing so good at being quiet.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" she asked.

"Oh, no," Roman shook his head, "This is when I usually get up. It's just… Carly, why are you making food?"

"There's this thing called 'breakfast.' Maybe you've heard of it," Carly said lightly.

"Yeah, I know that," said Roman, laughing a little, "But-"

Dean made his entrance at that moment, stumbling out of the guest room, yawning loudly and stretching like a cat. He squinted against the brightness of midmorning and ran a hand through his hair.

"Hey, Roman," he said, "Why does it smell like…"

He trailed off, staring in surprise at the large plates full of food that Carly was setting out on the counter.

"…bacon and coffee," Dean finished, "What's all this?"

"Breakfast. Maybe you've heard of it," said Roman.

Carly giggled. She switched off the coffee maker and started slicing grapefruits in half and sprinkling them with sugar.

"Don't be a smart-ass this early in the morning," Dean said, wrinkling his nose, "At least wait until I have some coffee."

"She started it," Roman said innocently.

"Sarcasm or breakfast?" asked Dean.

"Yes," said Roman.

He shoved a plate into Dean's hands and began dishing up food for himself. Dean shrugged.

"Works for me," he said.

Roman turned on the TV to some gameshow or other for background noise as they sat down at the table to eat. Dining room tables seemed a little formal to Carly. She hadn't had much occasion to use one in college, and even less when she was on the road for work. But with Dean and Roman this morning, it felt oddly comfortable.

"Food's great, by the way," said Dean, "Roman, you have to invite Carly over more often."

"You insulting my cooking?" Roman feigned offense, "Everything is delicious, Carly. But is that all you're gonna eat?"

He indicated the bowl of grapefruit Carly was picking at. In all fairness, it _did _look pretty meager compared to the gigantic portions he and Dean were putting away.

"Yeah," said Carly, "I ate while I was cooking."

She wasn't about to clarify that she had only eaten one slice of bacon. She just wasn't feeling all that hungry. She hadn't all yesterday, either. But she didn't want to mention it and make them worry.

"Oh no you don't," said Roman, stopping Carly when she tried to gather up the dishes, "You cooked. Me and Dean can get things cleared away."

"But-" said Carly.

"Quiet," Dean interrupted, "It's only fair, y'know."

Carly was grateful that they wanted to help, she really was. But she started sinking the moment she stopped keeping busy. She didn't know what she was going to do with herself when Roman announced that he and Dean were going to go for a run before it got too hot outside. She said she'd be fine on her own, though. She'd watch TV until they got back or something.

xXx

Carly heard the front door open a little over an hour later. She hastily shoved the bottle of Windex back under the bathroom sink and walked out to the living room. Dean was leaning against the counter, but Roman had paused in the entryway. He looked around and sniffed the air.

"Carly," he said slowly, "Have you been cleaning my apartment?"

Carly gave an awkward laugh. So much for being sneaky about it. Of course they could still smell the soap, and that weird, unmistakable vacuum-cleaner scent.

"Yeah, sorry…" she said, hanging her head sheepishly, "I was just gonna straighten stuff up in the living room, and I got a little carried away."

"You do realize that you're my guest, right?" said Roman, "You don't have to earn your keep."

"I know that," Carly faltered, "I just don't like doing things halfway."

"Clearly," Dean said flatly, "Roman, I think she alphabetized your DVDs."

Dean and Roman refused point-blank to let Carly make lunch. Again, this was sweet, and extremely unhelpful. They hypocritically almost banned her from doing dishes afterwards, but Carly put her foot down. Dean was more or less amused by her insistently energetic housekeeping. Roman, on the other hand, kept shooting half-concerned glances in her direction. Carly would've been worried that she was overstepping herself, taking over his kitchen and all, but she knew Roman. He wouldn't be shy about telling her to stand down if he really meant it.

They somehow ended up playing board games in the afternoon. Surprisingly enough, Dean won both rounds of Scrabble by making the impressive use of the multiplier spaces. Carly was too busy trying to come up with fancy words to worry about the scores, and Roman got stuck with all the Q's and X's and V's and other useless combinations of letters. He eventually demanded that they switch to Yahtzee, in hopes that he would fare better with a game that was almost pure luck.

In order to feed the two ravenous hounds, Carly made a massive quantity of spaghetti for supper. She had to chase Dean out of the kitchen multiple times. He seemed to like watching her cook, and trying to snitch food while her back was turned. Carly let Dean and Roman get started eating while she put the kitchen back in order. They were already on their second platefuls when she sat down. Carly avoided making eye contact with Roman. She knew he was giving her a pointedly judgmental stare as she dished up a small portion for herself.

"Is that all you're gonna eat?" he asked.

"You sound like my Italian grandmother," said Carly, wrinkling her nose, "I'm just not that hungry. It's too hot outside to be hungry."

Thankfully, she was spared further debate by the text alert sound from her phone. Carly looked down to read the message from Dolph Ziggler.

_the rat bastard is talking shit in an interview with cole on the website_, it read, _I don't know if I'd advise watching it. just thought you'd want to know._

"Who's that?" Dean asked around a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Just a text from Dolph," said Carly, "It's nothing."

They'd all been avoiding mentioning Seth, and Carly certainly wasn't going to bring him up in the middle of dinner. Still, she wondered what he had to say for himself. At the same time, she didn't think she wanted to hear it.

"That's not a 'nothing' face, Carly," said Roman, his brows furrowed, "What's going on?"

Carly reluctantly passed her phone to Roman. Dean leaned over to read the text as well, and both their faces darkened. Dean's fork clattered onto his plate. Roman hurriedly returned the phone and shoved his chair back.

"I'll get my laptop," he said.

Within minutes, the three of them were huddled on the couch, staring at the screen. It turned Carly's stomach to see his face, so calm and unconcerned and smug. Roman's jaw tensed up, and Dean's hands twitched violently as Michael Cole asked the question that had haunted them all week: why did he do it?

"So everybody wants an explanation," said Seth, "You wanna know why I did what I did to my _brothers _on Monday night? So let me tell you that the only person who knows why I did what I did on Monday, and the only person who needs to know, and the only person that I owe anything to, is _me_."

Mr. Cole made very little attempt to hide his disgust, staring evenly at Seth Rollins.

"Aren't you the least bit concerned about the consequences of your actions?" he asked, "I mean, you can't expect Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns to take this lying down."

"Michael," Seth chuckled, "I'm not in the least bit worried about those two. You've seen them, right? Dean Ambrose is a lunatic. He's barely able to function on his own. Seriously, the guy's psyche is held together scotch tape and paper clips. It's pathetic. It's only a matter of time before he ends up committed to an insane asylum for his own safety. And Roman Reigns? Roman Reigns is a tank, a war-machine, a mindless force of destruction. And without somebody to control him-"

"Shut it off," said Dean, his voice low and strained, "Damn it, shut it off right now!"

Roman snapped the laptop closed and shoved it aside, agitatedly rubbing his hand over his mouth. They sat in silence. Carly scarcely dared to breathe. Suddenly, Dean pushed himself to his feet and stormed out the front door, slamming it shut. Roman was after him in an instant.

"I've got him," said Roman, "Just stay here, Carly."

And then Roman was gone, too. Carly stood numbly, went to the kitchen, and began cleaning up. She needed to keep moving, keep busy.

How could he? How could he say those awful things? Seth would never call Dean pathetic, not even when they argued. And then to say that Roman was nothing more than a weapon. Had Seth really been just using them this whole time? If that was true, then it would make everything else Seth had done and said a lie. Carly felt sick just considering that.

It was nearly half an hour before Dean and Roman came back. Carly watched them warily. She had no idea what Roman could've said to talk Dean down, but it must've worked. Dean did not look blank or sad, not anymore. Instead, that fiercely eager light was in his eyes. He turned to Carly, his mouth twisted into a mirthless grin.

"We're gonna take him down," he said fervently, "We're gonna make him pay for what he did. Are you with us, princess?"

Carly reached out to both of them, and felt their strong hands close around hers. She looked from the stern composure in Roman's eyes to the zealous fire in Dean's. She would do whatever she could to help them, to protect them. She would see that justice was served if it was the last thing she did.

"I'm with you," she said.

xXx

The couch was actually pretty comfortable. It would've been great for sleeping, if Carly had been capable of doing so. Just like the past few nights, her mind refused to shut down and let her get any more than ten minutes of sleep at a time. She figured there was no sense fighting it. She just laid there and tried to think of anything but Seth. That went as well as could be expected.

She killed about half an hour by thinking about how dry her throat felt before finally giving in and getting a glass of water. As she stood in the kitchen, debating whether or not it was worth it to go lay down again, Carly heard the sound of rustling sheets and angry muttering coming from the guest room. She wondered if Dean was still awake. Or maybe he was just dreaming. She was quietly starting down the hall when a pillow came flying through the open doorway and hit her in the stomach.

Carly stifled a startled yelp. It was almost completely dark in the hall, so there's no way Dean could've thrown that at her intentionally. Carly picked up the pillow, went to the doorway, and peered inside. In the patch of golden light that streamed through the window above the bed, Carly could see Dean lying on his back, his hands reached up to grasp the pillow beneath his head. He stared up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. So he _was _still awake.

"Was it something I said?" Carly asked softly.

Startled, Dean pushed himself upright to look towards the door.

"Carly?" he whispered.

She stepped into the room, holding up the pillow.

"I don't know what you were throwing this at, but you got me," she said.

"Oh, sorry," Dean grimaced, "I wasn't throwing it at anything. I was just, y'know, throwing it."

"What are you still doing awake?" said Carly.

"Can't sleep," Dean answered unhelpfully.

Dean never had trouble sleeping. If something was keeping him up, it was serious, and Carly was pretty sure she knew the reason. But asking him about it straight on was out of the question. He'd just shut down or avoid the subject. Better to take an indirect approach.

Carly went over to the bed. She gently brushed Dean's hair back and felt his forehead.

"Are you not feeling well?" she asked.

"I'm fine," said Dean. He lay back down and resumed his staring at the ceiling, folding his hands over his chest, "I'm not sick."

Then he was silent. So much for the indirect approach. But Carly didn't want to leave him just yet, not when something clearly had him upset. She perched on the edge of the bed.

"Dean," she said, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's alright. I'm never going to try to force something out of you. But I'm here if you ever need me. I just want you to know that, okay?"

For a moment, Dean said nothing. He didn't even look at her. Carly was just about to get up and leave him in peace when he finally spoke.

"I'm not sick," he repeated quietly.

Carly stared at him. There was a sort of anguished, earnest desperation in his voice, an almost childlike insistence, as he continued.

"There's nothing wrong with me," he said, "I'm not an idiot. I'm not sick. I'm not crazy."

Something in the way Dean said that made it sound like he was reciting a mantra. Carly wondered just how long he'd been telling himself that, and just how many times he'd repeated it. The thought pierced straight through her heart. When she reached out and laid her hand on his chest, Dean's gaze finally turned to her face.

"Of course not," she said ardently, "I know that. Roman knows that."

"I thought he knew that, too," said Dean.

Carly didn't need to ask who Dean meant by _he_.

"Does he really hate me that much?" Dean went on, his voice on the edge of breaking, "Was he always so disgusted by me, that he thought-? I don't need to be locked up. I don't-! But when I think about it, how sane can I really be, y'know? I let him get inside my head, let him make me believe that he cared about me and I… Maybe they're all right about me after all."

Before Dean found Seth and Roman, all he had was pain and anger. And now that that support had been ripped away, now that the brother he loved and trusted had betrayed him, all that pain returned, filling Dean's veins like a poison. Carly could see it in his eyes, in the way he breathed. It was like he was suppressing physical agony, and it broke Carly's heart.

She set the pillow he'd thrown by the headboard and laid down next to him.

"Come here," she said.

After only the briefest hesitation, Dean rolled over and settled himself so his head was resting on Carly's shoulder. His arms pressed close to her sides, and he nestled his head beneath her chin. Carly wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She rubbed his back with one hand, and she held him in silence for a minute or so.

"He's wrong," she said, "You listen to me, Dean Ambrose. You are a good man. You are never wrong to trust, and you are never wrong to care. Someone lied to you, took advantage of you. But that doesn't make you stupid, and it doesn't make you crazy."

Dean said nothing. He only held onto her more tightly. Carly reached up and began gently stroking his hair. She knew just how useless words could be. She wished there was some way she could stop Dean from hurting so badly. But she couldn't change what happened, and she couldn't change how Dean was feeling. All she could do was be there, when and if he needed her.

Eventually, some of the tension uncoiled in Dean's back and shoulders. His shaky breathing grew steadier, and his head lay heavily over her heart. For a moment, Carly wondered if he'd fallen asleep.

"We couldn't have known, right?" he asked softly, "I mean, did he say anything to you? Did you ever notice anything that would've made you think that he could-?"

"No," said Carly, after a pause, "There's no way we could've known."

Dean sighed. Then he abruptly propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at Carly.

"Wait a minute," he said, "What were you still doing awake?"

"I just got up to get a drink when I heard you moving around," said Carly, somehow getting the feeling that this was the second time she'd lied to him that night.

But Dean just nodded and then glanced up at the window. He was silent for a minute more, leaning on one elbow with his other hand still absently laying across Carly's stomach, like he didn't want her to leave. But Carly knew she should let him get some sleep, if he could.

"Dean, are you alright?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he said, looking back at her, "Oh, yeah. I'll be fine."

Dean held her gaze for a moment, and smiled. He reached his hand up to gently touch her cheek, letting his fingertips trace along her jawline. It suddenly struck Carly that he was very close. Her heart gave a funny little lurch for no reason at all. It looked like Dean was about to say something more, but then he shifted away, and laid back down on his pillow.

"I should probably let you get some sleep," he said, turning his eyes back to the ceiling.

"Right," said Carly as she sat up, "Goodnight, Dean."

"Goodnight," he said, "And… thanks, Carly."

Carly went back to the couch to lay down and pretend to be asleep. She hoped she'd been able to help Dean at least a little. He hadn't looked quite as distressed when she left, so that was something.

Dean was strange when he was a little drunk or very tired. Carly supposed that was because those were the times he was most emotionally vulnerable. That's all it was, she was certain. But the place where his fingers had brushed against her skin still tingled like a burn, and Carly wasn't certain at all.

xXx

Dean seemed better the next morning at breakfast. At least, he was more talkative and focused, so more like himself. Roman was still unreadable. He _seemed _to be doing alright, but Carly knew that if there was one person who would put a brave face on things to avoid worrying the people he cared about, it was Roman Reigns.

Still, both of them seemed to be getting back on track. They wouldn't really know what their goal was until they got more answers, but they were determined to be ready to act when the time came. They planned to head to the gym and get in a good workout before lunch. Dean had gone into the guest bedroom to change and get his stuff together while Carly cleaned up from breakfast. As she straightened up from loading the dishwasher, she noticed Roman leaning against the counter, watching her.

"I know what you're trying to do," he said.

"Dishes?" Carly said, a little perplexed.

"No, that's not what I mean," Roman laughed, "To be honest, I kinda didn't expect you to come at all. I mean, I'm glad you did. And I get what you're trying to do. Dean and I took a hard fall. We're still in pretty bad shape. Then you turn up like some kind of Disney princess, and start doing all the chores and cooking for us and making sure we're taking care of ourselves. You're trying to nurse us back to health."

Carly pursed her lips and looked away, embarrassed. Taciturn as he was, Roman had an uncanny knack for perception. Truth be told, that was _exactly _what she was trying to do.

"I'm sorry," said Carly, "I can stop, if I'm being pushy or annoying or getting in the way or something. I didn't mean to-"

"Whoa, Carly, slow down," said Roman, "I only brought it up 'cause I wanted to let you know that I appreciate it."

"Really?" Carly said hesitantly.

"Really," said Roman, with a warm smile.

"I didn't want you to think I'd abandoned you," said Carly, "I wanted to give you and Dean time, but then I realized that I left you to take care of Dean all by yourself, and that there wasn't going to be anyone to take care of _you_. I'm not very strong and I'm not very smart, but I wanted to help. I care about you guys a lot."

She was looking away again by the time she finished speaking. She could tell Roman was moved by what she said, and that made her feel embarrassed all over again. Carly wasn't much for being sentimental. But then Roman's strong arms were around her, and she couldn't regret saying it.

"We care about you, too," he said as he pulled away, "So if there's anything you need, you let us know, alright?"

Roman stared keenly at her with an expression in his eyes that bordered on unease. Carly was certain now that the dark circles under her eyes had not escaped his notice, nor had the fact that she hadn't been eating much. But that was nothing he needed to worry about. Carly was sure she'd be fine in a day or two.

"Alright," she said.

Roman didn't seem quite satisfied by that answer, but nodded, accepting it for the time being. Dean emerged from the guest bedroom.

"Ready to go when you are," Dean said, then stopped to sniff the air, "Something smells delicious. What are you making, Carly?"

"Beef roast cooked in beer and onions," said Carly, "It'll take all day in the slow-cooker, but I promise it'll be worth it."

"Cooking with beer, huh?" Dean grinned, "Very Midwestern. I approve."

"We'll be back in a couple hours," said Roman, "Bye, Carly."

When the boys had gone, Carly started the dishwasher and stood aimlessly in the kitchen for a few minutes. There were things she needed to get done, but she felt a little shaky all of a sudden. Maybe she'd sit down for a bit first.

xXx

"Carly? Hey, you still alive?"

Dean's voice was the first thing Carly was aware of. The second was the godawful crick in her neck. And it wasn't just her neck. All of her joints hurt, too. Come to think of it, it almost felt like her skin itself ached. She sat up groggily, squinting against the brightness of the room. She must've fallen asleep curled up in the chair and hadn't moved an inch. Apparently she'd also slept with her neck at exactly the wrong angle, because her head was pounding. Carly blinked at Dean, who was leaning over her.

"Did you guys just get back from the gym?" she asked.

Her voice was strangely hoarse. Carly cleared her throat, but that only made it feel worse. Guess she hadn't been drinking enough water.

"We got back an hour ago," said Dean, "We didn't want to wake you up, but we were just wondering if you planned on eating lunch or just sleeping all day."

"Yeah, lunch. Right," Carly nodded, sitting up a little straighter.

Lunch. Was it really that late already? How long had she been asleep? Carly shivered.

"Hey, Dean," she said, "Do you know where my jacket ended up? It's really cold in here."

"Cold?" Dean said, looking surprised, "Carly, it's the dead of summer in the south, and _somebody _won't turn the AC up."

"Too expensive," Roman called from the kitchen.

"Cheapskate," Dean muttered.

"If you can't take the heat," said Roman, "Not my fault you're from the frozen north."

"Ohio is not the frozen north. _She's _from Wisconsin. That place is cold as hell," said Dean. He looked at Carly critically, studying her face, "You know, you don't look so good."

Carly wanted to make a smart-aleck comeback, but she didn't have the energy to do more than grimace at him.

"What, you aren't gonna ask me if I've looked in a mirror lately?" said Dean, "You feeling alright?"

He said it teasingly, but when he reached down to hold the back of Carly's head with one hand and feel her forehead with the other, the grin faded from his face.

"Hey, Roman?" he called.

"What's up?" said Roman, walking over to them.

"I think our girl's coming down with something," said Dean.

Before Carly could protest, Roman had laid his hand across her forehead. He frowned, felt Dean's forehead for comparison, and then felt Carly's again.

"She's running a fever, alright," said Roman, "How are you feeling otherwise, Carly?"

"Well," Carly hesitated, "My head hurts, and my throat hurts, and everything just sorta aches."

She felt lousy about the fact that Dean and Roman now had to deal with a sick houseguest. But she knew that they'd only be more worried and annoyed if she didn't admit how bad she felt.

"And exactly how long has that been going on?" said Roman, folding his arms and looking down at her reproachfully.

"Just since I woke up now, I swear," Carly insisted.

Before she could say more, she was interrupted by a coughing fit. Roman leaned down and rubbed her back comfortingly until it passed. Carly wished she had the energy to be annoyed with how pathetic she knew she probably looked at the moment.

"Poor girl. You oughta lay down," said Roman, "You can have my room. Just give me a minute to throw some fresh sheets on my bed."

"Roman, I'm not going to take your room," said Carly, "Not while you're still hurt."

"Don't worry about it. Me and Dean can share the guest bed," Roman said reassuringly, then glanced over at Dean, "But if you punch me in your sleep again, I'm gonna hit you back, man."

"Fair enough," Dean shrugged.

"I'm really alright," Carly protested lamely when Roman had left.

"No, you're not," Dean contradicted, "You aren't really gonna fight us on this, are you?"

"I won't," said Carly. She sighed resignedly. Pride dictated that she not accept help, but whatever was beating up her immune system also beat some sense into her.

"Good," said Dean, "Because we're going into war on Monday, and we need our princess at one-hundred percent."

Need her? Probably not. She wasn't Seth Rollins. Carly would do what she could to help, but… There was no way she could fill the void he'd left; not as a tactician, and not even as a friend. Roman returned, dumping an armload of sheets onto the floor of the living room.

"All set," he said.

Dean helped Carly to her feet. She managed to take a few steps before a bright fog surrounded her. It clouded her vision, muffled her hearing, and deadened all sensation entirely, making her feel simultaneously weightless and impossibly heavy. When the fog cleared, Carly found herself sprawled on the floor with Dean's arms around her, half-laying across his lap. Roman was kneeling in front of her, holding her face in his hands.

"Carly?" Roman was saying, "Carly, can you hear me?"

"I hear you," Carly mumbled, still a little disoriented, "Did I seriously just faint?"

"Yeah, you did," said Dean, "And it was slightly terrifying."

"Okay, so maybe I'm not really alright," she said sheepishly.

"Uh-huh," said Dean, "So glad we're all in agreement on that. C'mere."

Before Carly knew what he was doing, Dean had picked her up and carried her over to the bedroom, gently laying her down on the bed. Carly still felt a little guilty for commandeering Roman's room, but she was grateful all the same. While Dean helped Carly settle herself in and pulled the covers over her, Roman pulled the shades down and turned off the lights except for the lamp on the nightstand.

"I'm sorry, Roman," said Carly, "I didn't mean to come to your home and be a bother. I never should've flown down here. Stupid planes are just missiles filled with disease, anyway."

Her dim view of air travel made Dean and Roman laugh, and that made her feel just the tiniest bit better.

"No," said Dean, "What you shoulda done was come with us in the first place."

"He's right, Carly," said Roman, "No, don't apologize. Just promise not to go lone wolf on us again."

"Right," Carly said compliantly, "I promise."

Roman smiled and patted her shoulder.

"Good," he said, "Dean, can you hold down the fort while I run out? I have to pick up some cold medicine and stuff."

"You don't have any?" asked Dean, "You do live here, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I never get sick," Roman shrugged, "I'll be back soon."

"Of course, the last son of Krypton is impervious to the common cold," Carly grumbled.

Dean left Carly with orders to try to get some sleep, and she sent him off with instructions on what still needed to be done to get supper ready, despite his reservations about being put in charge of cooking. Carly struggled to get comfortable, but the aches in every atom of her existence wouldn't allow it. Well, this whole trip had backfired quite spectacularly. She'd come with the intention of looking after Dean and Roman, and now they were stuck taking care of her. She knew that they didn't mind that much, but that didn't stop her from feeling bad about it.

Every time Carly was seized with a coughing fit, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. And if she didn't stop coughing by the time the footsteps reached the bedroom door, Dean would come in and guilt her into drinking more water. Damn those stupid, pretty puppy-dog eyes of his. Carly was too far under the weather to resist that degree of persuasiveness.

Carly avoided looking at the clock. She didn't want to be reminded of how many hours of sleep she wasn't getting. She may have dozed off here and there, but never for long enough to feel like it was doing any good. Some time later (who knows how long) Carly felt the mattress shift as somebody sat down, and felt somebody lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Carly?" Dean said softly, "You awake?"

"Yeah," said Carly, opening her eyes, "What's up?"

"Roman got a thermometer so we can keep tabs on your temperature," Dean said as he held up the instrument, "So, if you wouldn't mind letting me check."

Carly gave a reluctant groan. Couldn't he just leave her alone to die in peace?

"Come on, Carly," Dean wheedled, "Open up."

Ugh, _fine_. Carly let him place the thermometer under her tongue, and waited while he timed out thirty seconds. She'd learned it was easier to humor Dean in these situations. When he switched into caretaker mode, there was no arguing with him. Oddly enough, Carly didn't mind his fussing over her as much as she used to. Dean removed the thermometer and held it under the light.

"A hundred and one," he read.

"Dalmatians," Carly followed instantly. She blinked in confusion, "Sorry. Don't know why I made that reference."

"Yeah, well, if I was as sick as you are, I wouldn't be able to think straight either," Dean smiled.

"Hey," said Roman as he walked into the room, "What's our status?"

"Dalmatians," Dean replied.

"So…" Roman paused, trying to make sense of that answer, "One hundred and one, then?"

"Both of you are crazy," said Dean.

He shook his head incredulously and Carly laughed. Bad idea. Laughing _hurt_.

"But if you'll excuse me," said Dean, "I have to go pretend I know how to cook broccoli."

He wrinkled his nose as he stood up to leave.

"You'll be fine, Dean," Carly smiled faintly, "I believe in you."

"Yeah, thanks," he muttered from the hallway.

Roman grinned and sat down on the bed.

"Don't worry about him," he said, "He's actually not a bad cook. Actually, while we're on the subject of Dean, I have to ask you something."

"What's that?" said Carly.

"I was wondering if you'd mind if I let Dean take point as far as taking care of you goes," said Roman, "I think it might help ease him back to normal a little bit. He can't sit around and dwell on things if there's somebody who needs him, you know? I just think it'd do him some good. Couldn't hurt, at least. Do you mind?"

She hadn't really thought about it that way, but it made sense. Roman had taken care of Dean those first two days, then she came and took care of both of them. And it had helped her feel better, so it was safe to assume that it had been the same way for Roman. That just left Dean. He'd gotten plenty of care and attention, but he didn't have any constructive outlet to keep him busy.

"If you really think that'd help," said Carly.

"I really do," said Roman.

"Then I suppose I don't mind," she said, "If _he _doesn't mind playing nurse, that is."

"Thanks, Carly," said Roman, smiling gratefully, "I'll keep an eye him, I promise. And if he starts bothering you too much, just let me know and I'll rein him in."

Roman left to make sure Dean didn't somehow manage to burn down the kitchen, and Carly closed her eyes again and pretended to sleep. Dean returned after they'd eaten to proudly let Carly know what a good job he'd done on making sure supper went smoothly. With some coaxing, he managed to persuade her to eat some soda crackers and applesauce, even though she still wasn't hungry at all.

Around nine o'clock, both Dean and Roman came in to check on her. Dean sat down on the edge of the bed, and Carly let him check her temperature while Roman peeled the shrinkwrap off a bottle of Nyquil.

"You can't get better if you don't get some sleep," Roman explained, "And I _know _you haven't been sleeping, Carly, so you can drop the act. Sorry, they only had whatever this weird green flavor is.

"Licorice, in theory," said Carly.

She eyed the syrup dubiously as Dean measured out a full dose. In her opinion, a flavor that vile was what turned Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde. She reached out to take the cup from Dean, hoping it would be easier to manage if she could down it in one gulp.

Carly grimaced as the Nyquil burned a hole in her stomach. That had to be the most disgusting taste in the world. Wait, no. _Second _most disgusting taste in the world. Randy Orton's arm took first place.

Another coughing fit struck her as she passed the cup back to Dean. Carly sincerely hoped she didn't look as pathetic as she felt, but had the feeling that she did. She wasn't quite sure she appreciated the way Dean and Roman were looking down at her with sympathetic concern. She didn't like it when people made a fuss. But Carly caught herself thinking that it was kind of comforting to have Roman's arm supporting her while she took a drink of water, and then she was even more annoyed with herself for being a hypocrite.

"Well, damn. You really must be feeling pretty terrible," said Dean, "Roman, she hasn't argued with me _once _today. Not once. She didn't put up a fight about staying in bed, or letting me check her temperature, or taking the medicine, or anything."

"Hmm, that _does _sound serious," Roman nodded soberly, but Carly could tell he was having a hard time not laughing at the fact that Dean seemed honestly put off by this.

"I'm not dying, you know," said Carly.

"Yeah, but you kinda look like you are," Dean said frankly.

Carly didn't have the energy to do more than sigh and weakly make a face at him.

"See? That's what I'm talking about," said Dean, "I don't like seeing you like this. Whatever this is took all the fight out of you, and I don't like it. But don't you worry, princess. We'll get you nursed back to health in no time."

It looked like Roman was right. Seth's betrayal was not far from Dean's mind, but he was acting a lot more like his usual self. Maybe this _was_ what he needed to pull him back from the edge, if only a little ways. In that case, Carly felt she could put up with it. Dean got awfully pushy when he tried to take care of somebody, but Carly knew that he would back off if she told him to, and that made it tolerable, somehow.

"Thanks, Dean," she said faintly.

"But she's not gonna get any sleep if we don't leave her alone," said Roman, putting a hand on Dean's shoulder, "Goodnight, Carly. I'll leave both the bedroom doors open, so just call if you need anything, alright?"

"Goodnight, Carly," said Dean, "Feel better, okay?"

"I'll try," said Carly, "Goodnight."

Once they had gone, Carly settled herself in as best she could and closed her eyes. She could already feel the Nyquil making her drowsy. Maybe, just maybe, she'd finally be able to sleep. Unfortunately, just like it happened every time she was left alone with her thoughts, she started to think about Seth.

Something didn't make sense. Actually, nothing made sense. But then again, nothing had made sense when Paige turned on her, either. Was this the same? Had Seth always been an awful, selfish person, and they'd just never known?

What else would possess him to say those terrible things about Dean? Seth had to know how badly he'd hurt Dean with those words. Dean had let Seth get close to him, after all. It was just spiteful. It was nothing like she'd known Seth to be. She wondered what else he'd said about Roman. She wondered if he'd said anything about _her_.

The thought made her sick to her stomach. Seth _knew _people. Not the way Roman did, but the way a person knows the workings of a chessboard. If he'd been playing Dean and Roman, that meant he'd been playing her, too. Ever since the moment she'd saved him. Perhaps before. She remembered the look he'd given her before that match, like he could see right through her. Apparently, he really could.

She felt stupid about falling for the Authority's rhetoric. She hated herself for being taken in by Seth. She was a fool. She was an idiot for-

No. No, it wasn't her fault. None of this was her fault. It was _his_. You can't go around anticipating that the people you meet might be manipulative sociopaths. It wasn't her fault.

She'd told Dean that he wasn't wrong to trust, and she meant that. It was harder to convince herself.

It was harder still to convince herself that everything Seth had said to her was a lie. God, it turned her stomach to think of it now. The way he'd looked at her in the hospital that night, after she'd gone through hell and several broken bones to save his career, or so she thought. He must've been quite amused when he learned that she'd done all of that for nothing.

And everything he'd said to her. Maybe that's why he'd been so confused that she risked herself on his behalf, when there was nothing in it for her. She wished he hadn't stayed that night. She wished he hadn't seemed so sincere. She hated Seth for tricking her into caring about him. She _hated _him.

She missed him.

That night replayed over and over in her head, every variation of the situation she could think of. Sometimes he stayed. Sometimes he went. Every time, he broke her heart.

Carly sighed and opened her eyes. To her surprise, she looked up into the grey eyes of Roman Reigns. That was odd. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning over her with a worried expression on his face. When he saw that she was awake, Roman glanced across the room.

"Dean?" he called, "Dean, I think she's coming around."

The mattress jostled suddenly, and then Dean was leaning over her as well. He gripped onto her hand so tightly that it hurt a little. Dean looked even more distressed than Roman had. What on earth was going on?

"Carly?" he said quickly, "Come on, girl, say something."

"What's going on?" Carly asked, her voice still hoarse. She looked over at the clock, "It's three in the morning! Why aren't you asleep?"

Dean slumped forward. He pressed Carly's hand to his lips.

"You're okay," he said, "Roman, she's okay."

Roman gave a relieved, breathless sort of laugh, and reached out to gently caress her forehead. They were both acting so strangely that Carly wondered if she was dreaming.

"Why wouldn't I be?" said Carly, "You guys are scaring me a little bit."

"Well, you just gave us a scare," said Roman, "We're just really glad you're awake."

"Awake? I don't remember being asleep," said Carly.

"But you were," Dean said insistently, "You were asleep, and you wouldn't wake up. I came to check on you around midnight. It sounded like you were having a nightmare, so I tried to wake you up, but I couldn't. Scared the hell out of me."

Dean laughed the same way Roman had. He had yet to let go of her hand.

"Your temperature was up to one-oh-four," said Roman, "We were hoping you'd come out of it on your own, but… We were just getting ready to take you to the hospital when you woke up."

So they'd been up all night and worried sick on her account. Carly felt terrible.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't do that!" Dean snapped, "For God's sake, don't start apologizing!"

The sudden anger in his tone made Carly flinch. She wasn't quite sure what she'd done to upset him so much. She looked away and blinked hard. For some reason, she felt like crying. Roman laid a hand on her shoulder, almost protectively.

"Dean," Roman said warningly, "Don't yell at her."

Dean pursed his lips, trying to compose himself. Carly pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms tightly. Dean, now looking ashamed as well as distressed, couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Sorry," he said stiffly, "I'm sorry, Carly."

"S'okay," Carly mumbled.

"Don't worry about us, alright?" said Roman, smiling at her reassuringly, "We've had later nights than this, trust me."

"Thank you," said Carly, "I'm fine now. You two should get some sleep."

"You sure?" asked Roman.

"I'm sure," said Carly.

So Roman ushered a reluctant Dean out of the room, assuring him that everything would be alright. And it probably would. Carly was feeling a little better, at least physically. Something else was worrying her now. Dean said it sounded like she was having a nightmare, which she could only assume meant that she was talking in her sleep. And considering the way he'd gotten so mad at her all of a sudden, Carly was rather concerned about what she might've said.

xXx

Carly woke up at ten in the morning, feeling much better than she had. Though her body still ached, and she still felt a little shaky, thank goodness her throat had stopped hurting. She managed to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom without feeling like she was going to fall over. A nice warm shower made her feel better still.

She hoped Dean and Roman had been able to get some sleep, too. Regardless of what Roman said, she still felt guilty about scaring them like that, even though she knew it wasn't like she had any control over the situation. When she went into the kitchen, it did seem like both of them were well-rested, which put her mind at ease. Even better, Dean showed no signs that he had let the sun go down on his anger.

But before she could get any further than saying good morning, Dean cut her off, wrapping an arm around her waist and guiding her back towards the bedroom. He insisted, despite her protests, that she still needed to rest. Roman took Dean's side on the matter, unfortunately.

"I hope you realize that as soon as I get my strength back, I'm gonna make you pay for this, Dean," Carly warned as he pulled her along.

"Now there's the Carly I know and somewhat fear," said Dean, grinning, "But you're still going back to bed."

After checking her temperature, Dean vanished and returned a few minutes later, bearing a bowl of soup and some toast. Carly smiled as she lifted the first spoonful.

"Chicken and stars," she said, "I haven't tasted this in years."

"I had a feeling you'd like it," said Roman, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Thanks," Carly laughed.

"Now," said Roman, "I think it's time we got down to business."

"Business?" asked Carly.

"Keep eating," Dean ordered.

"Pushy," said Carly, emphatically take a bite out of the toast.

"She's got a point, though, Roman," said Dean, "What do you mean, 'business'?"

"I mean," Roman said carefully, "I think it's about time we stopped avoiding the subject of Seth."

Carly's gaze darted to Dean's face worriedly. But he seemed surprisingly unaffected. He merely looked down, a little solemnly, and nodded.

"You're right," he said, "You got a plan, Roman?"

"Not completely, not yet," said Roman, "But come Monday, we're gonna make sure everybody knows that we haven't lost anything but a leech. He's been full of big talk, and we're gonna answer. Dean, you're gonna make them all hear us."

"Damn straight I will," Dean said determinedly, "They think they destroyed the Shield, huh? They only got rid of some excess baggage for us. They only made us stronger. You and me, uce, we're still the Shield."

"And we always will be," said Roman, reaching out ruffle Dean's hair.

"And after Monday?" said Dean, "Then what happens?"

"That's where Carly comes in," said Roman.

"Me?" Carly asked.

"Of course, you," said Roman, "We're not just going to call it good after we get our hands on him once. We're gonna make sure justice is served. You know how the Authority thinks, princess. More than that, you know how Seth thinks. We're gonna need your help."

Dean and Roman both stared at her expectantly. Carly's throat felt awfully dry as she swallowed the last bite of toast. She was not qualified for this. Not at all. It was a conflict of interests, first off. Secondly, Seth was the best strategist in the business. Carly was nowhere near his level. But Roman was right. Of the three of them, she had the best knowledge of the enemy. She was all they had, and that was better than nothing.

"Well," Carly said slowly, "As far as the Authority is concerned, Seth destroyed the Shield. At the very least, he changed the dynamic so you aren't the same threat you once were. I don't mean that as an insult. It's just a fact that you're now one man down. Like I was saying, Seth gave them something, so we can assume he's getting something in return. And once I find out what kind of deal he made with the devil, I'll do everything in my power to keep him from getting any use out of it."

Roman reached out and gently clapped her on the shoulder.

"That's our girl," he said, smiling, "Sabotage is right up your alley. Monday will be for reconnaissance. Then, the real work starts."

"If she's well enough to go in on Monday, you mean," said Dean.

"You just try and stop me," Carly said firmly, narrowing her eyes at him.

A grin spread across Dean's face.

"Now that's what I like to hear," he said.

In preparation for the coming war, Dean and Roman were going in to the gym again that afternoon. Dean surprised Carly by _asking _her to stay in bed and get some sleep, as opposed to _ordering _her to. Carly graciously agreed to that request, settling herself under the covers as she heard them closing the front door. Sure, she was worried about what the future would bring. But somehow, she felt better than she had all week.

xXx

No, scratch that. Carly felt terrible. When she woke up, the aches had returned in full force. Even more unfortunately, she was shivering uncontrollably under the covers. And after she thought she was getting better, too. This royally sucked.

Glancing at the clock, Carly could see that the boys had been gone for a couple hours. The apartment was too quiet, so she knew they weren't back yet. She needed another blanket, now. Who knows how much longer they'd be gone? Besides, she should be able to make it across the room and back, right?

Carly managed to drag herself out of bed. She stumbled along, just making it to the closet before that bright fog started closing in around her. Carly leaned against the wall. Oh God, not again…

The next thing Carly knew, she was flat on her back on the floor, still freezing cold. Okay, so maybe trying to get a blanket on her own was a bad idea. Another glance at the clock told Carly that she hadn't been out for more than a minute, so that was good. She was just going to lay there for a little bit to recover, and then she'd get back in bed before Dean and Roman got back.

Then she heard the front door open. _Damn_.

Carly sat up as quickly as she was able to. She didn't have time to do anything else before Dean appeared in the doorway. He blinked at the empty bed in confusion, and then his eyes found Carly. Carly realized this was probably a worrisome sight – her collapsed on the floor, shaking uncontrollably, and presumably pale as death.

"Dean, don't freak out," she started.

Too late. Dean had already shouted for Roman and rushed over, dropping to his knees next to her. Hearing the note of panic in Dean's voice, Roman came running. He took stock of the situation in an instant and, being more level-headed than the alarmed Dean, quickly picked Carly up and set her back on the bed.

"What's wrong with her?" Dean demanded, "Why is she shaking like that?"

"Just chills," Roman said calmly, "No, Dean, I'm not telling you _to _chill. I'm saying she _has _chills. Get that extra quilt, would you? It just happens sometimes when somebody's got a fever. It's nothing to worry about."

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" said Dean, still a bit rattled, as he passed the quilt to Roman.

"I tried," said Carly, "You were too busy panicking to listen."

"Oh, right," said Dean, rubbing the back of his neck.

Roman snorted and rolled his eyes. He finished wrapping the quilt securely around Carly and gave her a reassuring pat on the back.

"Hang in there, princess. You'll be alright in a minute," he said. Then the smile dropped from his face, "Oh man, I left the water running."

Roman dashed back to the kitchen before he had a flood on his hands. Carly laughed a little as Dean sat down next to her. He eyed her worriedly.

"You look miserable," said Dean, gently pushing Carly's hair back from her face.

"Good to know I look better than I feel," said Carly.

"Anything I can do?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Dean," she said, though she was still shaking as badly as ever, "I just have to wait it out."

Dean nodded, but he kept watching her, his lips pursed in concern.

"Okay, I can't just sit here with you looking like you're about to shatter into tiny pieces. Dunno if this'll help, but…" Dean shifted closer to Carly, leaning back against the headboard and opening his arms, "C'mere."

"I don't want you to catch whatever I've got," Carly shook her head.

Dean scoffed dismissively.

"Don't be ridiculous," he said, "Now, come on."

As Carly shifted closer to him, Dean carefully pulled her into his lap. Carly felt like she would've protested this at another time. But then again, maybe she wouldn't've. She settled herself into Dean's arms, letting him hold her against his chest. It was nice. She wasn't sure she'd ever admit that to _him_, but it was nice.

"Y'know," Dean said hesitantly, after a pause, "Last night, you were kinda talking in your sleep."

"Oh?" said Carly.

Oh no. This was exactly what she'd been afraid of. Carly was just glad Dean couldn't see her expression of absolute panic right now.

"Yeah," said Dean, "I mean, I couldn't make out most of it. But there was one thing. You kept calling out for him. For… for Seth."

Oh, _God _no.

Carly's mind raced, frantically trying and ultimately failing to think of something to say. _That's _why Dean had been so angry. Not only had she kept Dean and Roman awake and worried half the night, but apparently the whole experience had been a painful reminder of Seth. No wonder Roman had suddenly decided they needed to stop avoiding the subject.

"I… I m-must've been d-dreaming," Carly stammered, her voice now shaking as badly as her body.

"Yeah, must've," Dean repeated.

He cleared his throat and swallowed hard. Carly remained stalled out in a mortified silence. Should she apologize? Should she try to explain herself? Oh, who was she kidding. She had no explanation. But why on earth had Dean brought it up?

She was startled to hear Dean speak up again.

"I'm a real jerk, Carly," he said softly, "No, hang on. Let me finish. You cared about Seth a lot. You risked yourself for him, got put in a hospital on his account, but after what happened on Monday I never… I never stopped to think that you were hurting, too. I only saw the way it made you happy when you were taking care of us. At least, I thought it made you happy. I didn't even notice how tired you were looking. Roman noticed, but I didn't, because I'm a jerk. And I wanted to say that I'm sorry, Carly. I'm sorry for forgetting about you. I won't do it again. That's one good thing about me, y'know. Once I know what I did wrong, I try my damnedest not to do it again. That's it, I guess. That's all I had to say."

That was probably the last thing Carly had expected to hear. She thought he'd be hurt or angry or something. She never imagined he was going to apologize, of all things. Dean Ambrose was the least self-aware person she'd ever met, and he was only slightly more aware of other people. But there was one thing she didn't want him to get the wrong idea about. Carly pulled away so she could look up at him.

"It does make me happy," said Carly, "I like taking care of you and Roman. Don't you ever think otherwise. And it's alright, Dean. You know I believe in you."

Dean smiled and looked away, a little embarrassedly. Carly knew that Dean spilling his guts like that wasn't something that happened very often. But she was always glad when it did. She liked Dean. All of him, from the parts where he was sharp and rough around the edges to the soft side he didn't show to just everyone. It was a rare honor to be trusted by Dean Ambrose, and Carly never wanted to do anything to betray that trust.

Carly didn't know exactly when, but she'd stopped shivering at some point. She still felt all achy, except now she was burning up instead of freezing. She slid off Dean's lap and pushed her way out of the quilt.

"You alright?" asked Dean.

"Yeah, just really warm all of a sudden," said Carly.

Dean went to the nightstand to retrieve the thermometer, and Carly once again let him place it under her tongue. Carly didn't like to admit it, but she had the suspicion that she was moving beyond simply not minding Dean looking after her, and that she was starting to actually enjoy it. But that was ridiculous. It had to be the fever talking.

"Hmm," said Dean, frowning, "One-oh-two point three. It went up again. You lay down, okay? I'll be right back."

Carly tossed the quilt aside so she was only covered by the sheet. She eased her aching body back down and rested her head on the pillow, closing her eyes. In a moment, she felt the mattress shift again. She looked up to see Dean pulling a washcloth from a bowl on the nightstand and wringing the water from it.

"Let's see if we can't get you back down to double digits, huh?" he grinned.

Dean gently touched the cloth to her forehead, and Carly closed her eyes. He dabbed at her face, under her chin, down onto her neck and shoulders, every so often refreshing the washcloth to keep it cool. The touch of it brought some relief to the heat and the aches that plagued her. It felt wonderful. She opened her eyes.

"Hey, Dean?" Carly murmured, "Your bedside manner isn't so bad after all."

A faint smile tugged at Dean's mouth. He briefly touched the washcloth to her lips.

"Shh," said Dean, "Don't talk, alright? You just get some rest, and let me take care of you."

Rest, huh? Carly could manage that. And as for letting Dean take care of her, well, she was too tired to even pretend to mind. Carly smiled at him and closed her eyes again.

Dean Ambrose was a curious case. Half the time he looked like a scruffy roustabout from the 1950's, and he was about as safe as a game of Russian roulette, but Carly felt completely safe in his care. The Shield was made up of contradictions, it seemed. Roman Reigns was the strong, silent type usually, and in a fight he was a roaring force of total destruction, but he was also the most perceptive and thoughtful and warm-hearted man Carly had ever met. And Seth, well. That went without saying, didn't it?

Carly wasn't aware that she'd fallen asleep until she opened her eyes to see that Dean was gone. According to the clock, it was past six already. Roman came to check on her shortly thereafter. He noted that Dean was taking this caretaker thing farther than he'd anticipated, as Dean was now taking over all the acquisition of food and doing of dishes, and had started fussing over Roman as well. Roman seemed both annoyed and a little pleased by this.

He decreed an early night for all of them. They had a long drive ahead of them in the morning, and a war to begin the next day.

xXx

Carly felt like she'd only just fallen asleep when she found Dean gently shaking her awake at five in the morning, telling her it was time to hit the road. Dean and Roman were strangely alert for how early it was. Carly, on the other hand, felt no better than she had the day before. This irked her, because she definitely did not want to be sidelined from whatever was going to happen on Monday.

After they'd finished loading the car, Dean convinced Carly to take some more Nyquil in the hopes that she'd be able to sleep on the drive. It was a good idea, Carly had to admit as she climbed into the back seat. Roman passed her a blanket.

"Dean's probably gonna make me turn the AC on, and I don't want you to get cold," he explained.

Carly thanked him, wrapped herself up in the blanket, and curled up on the seat. She just want to feel not-lousy so she could focus on making a plan. It was interesting, though. Dean and Roman were more than just alert. They were _eager_.

They were still hurt by what Seth had done. Carly imagined it might never stop hurting them. But if they were one thing, it was resilient. This was another obstacle, another battle, another enemy to bring to justice. The only difference was that this enemy's crimes hit a little closer to home.

It was late afternoon when Carly woke up. She sat up groggily, trying to smooth down her hair.

"How much further?" she asked.

"Not much, maybe twenty minutes," said Roman, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a sledgehammer," Carly muttered, "So about the same."

Soon enough, they were settled in their hotel room. Roman had only booked the one room, so they would be close by in case something stupid happened, like Carly taking a turn for the worse. She actually felt a little better now that she was actually awake.

"What are we doing about supper?" she asked.

"Supper?" said Dean, "You mean you're finally actually hungry?"

"That's a good sign," said Roman, "What sounds good to you?"

The hotel-supplied directory of local restaurants was consulted, and an order was placed for massive quantities of chicken fried rice, bourbon chicken, beef lo mein. Although Dean grumbled about the annoyance of a restaurant that doesn't deliver, he volunteered to go pick up the food. He'd been making himself almost annoyingly helpful all day. When he'd left, Carly looked over at Roman.

"How long do you think this'll last?" asked Carly.

"He'll calm down eventually," Roman grinned, "But I think this has been good for him."

"I think it has, too," said Carly, "Dean can be… well, I don't think _selfish _is the right word. Maybe 'careless' or 'thoughtless' would be more accurate."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," said Roman, "Because it's not out of unkindness or anything, 'cause Dean is the kind of guy who could kill you with kindness. I mean, we both have firsthand experience with that. But he never remembers to take care of himself, and that means he sometimes forgets to take care of other people, too. And when he's hurt, he kinda gets wrapped up in himself. I wanted to thank you again, Carly, for helping me pull him out of that."

"You're welcome," said Carly, "About that, though. Don't think I didn't figure out what you were doing."

"I don't know what you mean," Roman lied unconvincingly.

Carly narrowed her eyes at him. This suspicion had been at the back of her mind all weekend, and Roman's lame attempt to play dumb all but convinced her that she was right.

"You tricked me," she said, "You made it sound like I was doing you and Dean a favor, just to keep me from fighting you on it so I'd have to let you both make a fuss."

Roman bit his lip and looked away, and Carly knew she had him. She was a little annoyed with him, both because he had tried to pull a fast one on her, and because it had actually worked.

"Let me explain," he said, "Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely for Dean's benefit. But it was for yours, too. It was something you said, about why you decided to come stay with us. You said it was because I didn't have anyone taking care of me. And I don't know if you noticed, but you didn't have anyone taking care of you either."

Carly blinked. No, actually she hadn't noticed. She hadn't thought about it like that at all.

"And you weren't about to let us," said Roman, "Not gonna lie, I was almost kinda glad you got sick, because it made you stop when I didn't know how to. See, your problem is you bury yourself in taking care of other people so you don't have to deal with what's hurting you. You were burning yourself out to keep us warm, Carly. That's not good. No, I know that look. You don't have to apologize. Just remember that we're in this together, okay? You and me and Dean. Nobody tries to go it alone."

Carly bit back the apology, and instead smiled at him.

"Roman, why do you have to be right all the time?" she said.

"Well, I can't have people thinking that I'm just a pretty face," Roman grinned.

Impulsively, Carly leaned over and hugged Roman tightly. She didn't know what part of her brain was broken to make her reject the notion that people cared, but she was always grateful for the moments when she could believe it. She was grateful for a friend like Roman. He wrapped his arms around her and didn't let go, and Carly didn't mind at all.

"Thank you," said Carly, "Really, thank you."

"You're welcome, princess," said Roman.

xXx

The Shield's arrival at the arena was quiet, but nonetheless made quite a statement. For practical reasons, essentially all of the wrestlers came in wearing street clothes and used the locker rooms to change into their gear. But tonight the Shield walked through the doors ready for action, and Carly was ready, too.

They'd agreed that she wasn't there to fight, at least not yet. This was Dean and Roman's first chance at retribution. Carly was there to observe and strategize, but hell if she wasn't going to make her presence felt.

Ever since she'd left the Authority, Carly hadn't dressed that formally. Oftentimes, she just wore jeans and some merchandise t-shirt, either her own or one of the Shield's. Even when she wanted to look professional, she opted for more sensible dress pants rather than the skirts she'd worn as the flying monkey's lackey. And as for makeup, Carly usually went for a more neutral look. But tonight was different.

Tonight her hair was styled perfectly. Her winged eyeliner was honed to dramatic points, and her lips were crimson. A pair of black heels added an imposing five inches to her height. She wore an A-line dress in vibrant, electric blue – just the color of the lights that accompanied the Shield's entrance.

As she'd explained to Dean and Roman, this is how girls go into battle. (Perhaps guys did this, too. She didn't know.) There are situations in which you will be surrounded by enemies, or you will have to face the people you hate. And the surest way to be untouchable, to be invincible, is to make sure that you know in your very soul that you look absolutely stunning. This was her armor.

And if her final glance in the mirror and the awed looks on Dean and Roman's faces were any indication, it was working. She looked good. She looked _damn _good, and she was ready.

Carly was aware that people stared as they walked in. The grim ferocity on the boys' faces was enough to suppress any attempt to speak to them. But as Carly strode between them, drawn up to her full height, her chin down, her gaze levelled straight ahead, she noticed something more than just expressions of wariness.

There was sympathy. Not in such a way that was condescending, though. It was almost a silent vow of camaraderie. It didn't matter if Dean and Roman saw it or not. It was not for their benefit. It was an acknowledgement that they had suffered, that they were all suffering, and all at the mercy of the Authority. It was one more wound, one push further towards a breaking point. And when that point is reached, who can say what will happen? But it was coming, and there was an unspoken promise humming in the air that they would all stand together when it came.

Apparently the Authority was going to start out the broadcast with an announcement about the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. To be honest, the fact that it had been vacant slipped Carly's mind entirely. The conflict between the Shield and Evolution had kept her busy. More than that, it had kept the two top contenders – Orton and Batista – busy as well. But it had not been far from the minds of the other wrestlers, and Carly got the feeling that Triple H wanted to give his full attention to ensuring that the title didn't fall into the hands of another "undesirable" such as Daniel Bryan.

And there were Triple H and Stephanie, standing in the ring and beaming. Carly longed for a day when she could slap the self-satisfied smiles off their smug faces.

"It's a good night to be right!" Triple H proclaimed.

"That was good, honey. I like that," laughed Stephanie, "As the Authority, sometimes we have the honor and privilege of making blockbuster announcements. And tonight happens to be one of those nights. We've all been hanging in the balance with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship situation, but tonight we finally have resolve. For the first time ever, there will be a WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. And who will have the honor of competing in that match? Well, there will be a series of qualifying matches."

"But the first person entered, well," said Triple H, "Just deserves it because he is who he is, and that is the Viper, Randy Orton! We can guarantee you that at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, we will crown a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion."

"Amen to that!" Stephanie chimed in.

"And another thing," said Triple H, "How many times did I tell you: adapt, or perish. But yet you all wanted to come out here the last couple of months and say 'Oh, the Shield beat Evolution! Oh, the Shield, they're so great!' Well, Seth Rollins adapted, and the Shield? Well, look for yourself."

Carly turned her eyes away as they recapped the events of last Monday. She had no desire to watch that again. Her mind was on other matters. Namely, that ladder match. She didn't know if Seth's deal with the Authority had anything to do with it, but she was absolutely certain that she wasn't going to let Randy Orton get his hands on that title.

"Tonight, what is left of the once dominant Shield will whimper to the end," said Triple H, "Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, tonight you will step into this ring in a six-man tag-team match against Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt family. I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say it might be tough for them to find a partner in that locker room, the locker room that they have run rough-shod over for the last two years. So this is probably more like a handicap match. Ladies and gentlemen, take out your cell phones. Get ready, because tonight you will witness history, as the Shield whimpers into extinction. Seth Rollins adapted, and tonight the Shield will perish."

Carly turned to Dean and Roman the instant Triple H finished speaking.

"So what's it gonna be?" she asked, "Do you want to take this as a handicap match, or should I find you a third man?"

"You think anybody here would be willing to throw their lot in with us?" Dean scoffed.

"You'd be surprised," said Carly, "But that didn't answer my question."

"The two of us can take on the Wyatts just fine on our own," Roman said firmly, "Triple H thinks we're gonna go out with a whimper? He's got another thing coming."

"We're gonna conquer with a roar," said Dean, clapping Roman on the back.

"And that ladder match," said Roman, "Randy Orton just getting handed a spot in it doesn't sit well with me. I've got a few personal reasons for objecting."

Roman glowered, absently rubbing his back.

"We'll make sure he gets his, too," Dean said reassuringly, "Don't you worry, uce. The princess is already on it, aren't you, Carly? I see that look."

"You know me well," said Carly, smiling, "I promise you, Roman, we're going to take down Randy Orton and Seth and the entire Authority for good."

The first official qualifying match took place that night, with Bad News Barrett defeating Alberto del Rio. Carly knew it was going to be difficult to get one or both of the boys into that ladder match. The Authority had already selected who would participate in qualifying matches, of course, and it would take some doing to throw a wrench in that plan. But Carly was certain that if anyone could do it, she could.

The crew needed no convincing to give Dean and Roman a timeslot to have their say. After the boys left to get into position, one of the techs furtively assured Carly that if she or they needed anything, all she had to do was say the word and the crew would make it happen. Carly thanked him and went off to find a place to watch. There had always been an undercurrent of rebellion in the company, and now those sentiments were rising closer to the surface.

Carly positioned herself near one of the monitors and tried to make herself look as imposing and unapproachable as possible. She did not want to be disturbed. She wanted to be with her boys in spirit as much as she could.

When the broadcast came back from commercial, Carly was chagrinned to see 3MB standing in the ring. Worse yet, they had a microphone. This was extraordinarily unfortunate. Slater was grinning that big, dopey grin of his from ear to ear. Carly knew he didn't have enough intelligence to be malicious, and she wanted so badly not to hate him, but he was making it very difficult for her.

"Well, well," he said, "The Shield was supposed to be out here to talk. But that's not what we do. We don't come out here just to talk. We-"

Thank God for the radio chatter that cut Slater off. If 3MB had any sense at all, they would get out of there post-haste, but they didn't have a nickel's worth between the three of them. Without missing a beat, Dean and Roman stepped into the ring. Dean focused on Slater while Roman took on Mahal and McIntyre. When the two-on-one started to turn against Roman, Dean leapt to the rescue. Both of them unceremoniously dumped McIntyre into the timekeeper's area and threw Mahal into the barricade. Dean pounced on McIntyre to finish the job.

The camera then switched to Slater, who was doing the first sensible thing he'd done in years, probably. He was retreating up the ramp, calling for his cronies to follow him. Unfortunately for Slater, he never noticed that Roman flanking him until it was too late. One spear later, and 3MB had been disposed of.

Roman returned to the ring. Dean was there, microphone in hand, trying to steady himself enough to speak. He took a few deep breaths, shook his head as if to clear it, and raised the microphone.

"The Shield was untouchable," he said, "And we will go down in the history books as one of the greatest groups in sports entertainment, ever! We dominated the WWE. We beat everybody, even Evolution. But we weren't healthy. We had a cancer inside of us, little did we know."

Roman paced in the background as Dean's composure started to fray. His fingers tapped agitatedly against the microphone as he struggled to keep his voice steady.

"And that cancer's name," Dean growled, "That cancer's name was Seth Rollins."

His voice strained across that name, as if he was holding himself back from screaming. For all Carly knew, that's exactly what Dean was doing.

"History is full of people like you, Seth," said Dean, "Everybody in this building knows somebody like you, Seth. The kind of guy who would _stab his brother in the back_. A suck-up who'd sell out to the Authority."

Dean paused, lowered his chin, and stared directly into the camera. Seth would have to be made of stone not to feel the intensity of those blue eyes boring straight into his soul.

"Now when I get the opportunity to rearrange your face, which I will, your nose isn't gonna be _here _anymore," said Dean, pointing to his own face to illustrate his point, "It's gonna be over _here_, by your ear. I say _ear_, 'cause you're only gonna have one left. I'm gonna rip your dirty, stinking hair out by the roots and I'm gonna stuff it in your mouth. There'll be plenty of room where your teeth used to be."

The crowd cheered him on while Roman grinned eagerly in the background, and Dean continued, breathing hard, a mirthless, manic smile spreading across his face, a wild look in his eyes.

"Seth Rollins!" he said, "My brother, you are scum. And we are looking forward to what that scum has to say tonight. We want you to stand out here in this ring in front of the whole world and lie through your teeth. We what you to stand out here in the middle of this ring in front of the whole world, and we want them to hear Triple H's words coming out of your mouth. We're gonna listen to every word of it, _and then we're gonna beat the hell out of you_."

Dean slapped the microphone out of his own hand as the crowd screamed. Carly was glad to hear Dean talk like this. Not about his plans for revenge, but the way he called Seth out on his lies. It meant that he'd convinced himself that they weren't true. Dean was taking a stand for himself and for Roman, denouncing the horrible things Seth had said, and the further horrible things he was likely going to say tonight.

Roman glanced down at the microphone, grinning bemusedly at Dean. Realizing what he'd done, and that Roman still needed to speak, Dean picked the mic back up and passed it to him apologetically. They were both laughing, and Carly wasn't sure if it was because of adrenaline or what. But they were resilient. They had each other. They were going to be alright.

"Seth, you committed the most unforgivable sin," said Roman, shaking his head incredulously.

He sounded disappointed rather than angry. But there was a growl in the back of his throat when he breathed, and he had to take a moment to collect himself before continuing.

"You're a selfish son of a bitch," said Roman, "There's things you don't do in life. You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't piss in the wind, and _you don't ever stab your brothers in the back_. But you're only part of the problem. The other parts are Randy Orton and Triple H. Randy Orton, he runs around here and he thinks everybody owes him something. He thinks he's the face of the company. When I get my hands on you, Randy, you're gonna be the ass of this company."

The enthused reaction of the crowd was encouraging. Dean grinned eagerly as Roman continued.

"And when I'm done with you," he said, "I'm coming for _you_, Triple H. The King of Kings, huh? We're gonna have our own game of thrones. Believe that!"

Roman tossed the microphone over his shoulder amid a roar of approval. The Authority thought they'd brought the Shield to their knees, did they? The Hounds were only just getting started.

xXx

Carly once again stood aloof and alone near one of the monitors. Mr. Cole's interview with Seth was coming up soon, and Dean and Roman had already left to get in position once more. Carly's stomach was knotting itself anxiously. She hadn't seen Seth yet. None of them had. It was different than watching that recorded interview on the website. Seth was _here_, in this building, but lurking out of sight. And like a wasp in the room, Carly would've felt much better if she knew where he was.

"Excuse me, Carly?"

The voice startled Carly out of her thoughts. She looked up to see one of the last people she'd expected: John Cena. What on earth? Didn't he notice that she was trying to look unapproachable here? No, he probably didn't. John Cena seemed to be immune to that sort of thing. Carly had nothing but the highest respect for the man, but since they really hadn't had any interaction before this point, she was a little confused as to why he was talking to her now.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes, actually," he said, "But first, may I say, you look very nice tonight."

"Thank you," said Carly, the statement somehow sounding like a question.

"The thing I wanted to talk to you about," said Cena, "Is that six-man tag-team match tonight. I was hoping you could let the Shield know that I'd be more than happy to volunteer to be their third man. If they haven't found one already, of course."

Carly's eyebrows arched in surprise. She knew Cena was no friend of the Authority, and that he'd been having troubles with the Wyatts as of late, but she hadn't expected him of all people to volunteer to help the Shield. Still, from the look on his face, Carly had no doubts as to his sincerity about this offer. She smiled up at him.

"I'm grateful for your kind offer, and I'm sure the Shield would be, too," said Carly, although she was certain the Shield absolutely would _not _be. There was something of a personality clash between them and Cena, "But the Shield wants to make a statement to the Authority by going through with it as a handicap match. They want to prove that they haven't lost any strength, and that they still _are_ the Shield."

"I guess I can understand that," Cena nodded, "But if they change their minds."

"You'll be the first to know," said Carly, "And thank you, Mr. Cena."

Cena smiled and walked off, just as the broadcast came back from commercial. It was time. Michael Cole stood in the center of the ring, looking distinctly displeased about the interview he had to conduct.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Mr. Cole, "Please welcome my guest at this time – a man who's been the center of controversy over the past week. He is former member of the Shield. Please welcome Seth Rollins."

Some entirely forgettable driving rock music began to play. So he had his own theme now. Triple H had said that this was plan B, but for _how long_ had this been plan B? And then there he was. Carly's stomach dropped as she watched Seth make his way to the ring. His face was still blank, uncaring, unconcerned. He wore a black suit, and his hair, though still two-toned, had been cut short. It was about the same length as Dean's hair. It looked unnatural. Everything about this moment felt absolutely wrong. Chants of 'You sold out!' began before Seth even sat down.

"Seth, welcome," said Mr. Cole, "There's been a lot of talk over the past week about why-"

"Michael, let me stop you before you get started," Seth interrupted, "Because _I _don't-"

Seth broke off, a disgruntled expression crossing his face as the crowd voiced their disapproval.

"Look, I don't get it," he said, "I don't understand what all the controversy you're talking about is all about. I mean, are we talking about what I did last week? Is that the whole deal? Because, to me, that wasn't a big deal. I was just doing what was best for business. What was best for _my _business. The Shield, Michael, the greatest faction in the history of the WWE, created by me."

Lie number one. Dean was the one who had organized the Shield. Seth and Roman had told her as much. Of course, taking sole credit for the Shield's success would make Seth look good to the Authority.

"You don't think I have the right to destroy my own creation?" said Seth, "It takes an architect, a mastermind, to put together a faction like the Shield. You think Dean Ambrose is in any way responsible for that? Dean Ambrose is a lunatic. Given a week to his own devices, he's facedown in a ditch. And Roman Reigns, the golden boy. You'll never see anger or fury in a man like you see in Roman Reigns. But without someone to harness that, to control it, he's nothing. He's _worthless_."

Lie number two. Fury? In Roman? There's no way Seth could be serious. Carly supposed this was Seth continuing to paint Roman as a mindless, living weapon. And as for him being worthless, well, that was too stupid for her to even bother refuting.

"Maybe you're forgetting," said Mr. Cole, "That during the Shield's most recent string of successes, you did have a manager."

How kind of Mr. Cole to give credit where none was due. Carly's heart stopped for a second. This may be what she was dreading most - Seth's poisonous words turned on her.

"Ah, yes. Poor little Carly," said Seth, laughing derisively, "Let me tell you something, Michael. I have never met a person more willing to take a bullet for someone than Carly Caden. I mean, I can't understand why people think she's a serious threat to anyone. She's really only a danger to herself. But, in all fairness, she did save my career once, and for that she has my gratitude."

Lie number three. But this was a strange one. Carly hadn't saved Seth's career, not really. Stephanie had admitted afterwards that she had no intention of actually firing Seth, rendering Carly's actions on his behalf completely meaningless. She let herself get put in a hospital for nothing. Seth knew that. This was a perfect opportunity to mock her for her naiveté. So why didn't he? Everything he'd said about Dean and Roman had been lies. Everything he'd said about her was insultingly stated, but true, except for that last part. He wouldn't have to go out of his way to be cruel here, so why shy away from it? Carly pursed her lips. Something felt off about this.

"The point is, the Shield would not have existed without me," said Seth, "Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns are nothing without me. They owe me every ounce of success they have ever achieved."

"Seth," said Mr. Cole, "Many people will argue that the Shield was about three individuals who came together to form an awesome team, not just about one man."

"You know," said Seth, "I guess we'll find out later tonight when the pathetic remnants of the Shield have their last hurrah out here against the Wyatt family. Let me ask you a question, Michael. Why is this such a surprise? I took the Shield to the very top, as high as we could go. We beat everybody, alright? We conquered the world, Michael. At Payback, we beat Evolution in a clean sweep. And from every experience in life you should learn something. You know what I learned from Evolution? I learned that to be a success in this business, you have to evolve. You have to adapt."

The chanting swelled again as Seth got to his feet. The corner of his mouth turned up in a cruel smirk, and his eyes were hidden in shadow.

"No, no, no," he said, "I bought in. I bought into the evolution of Seth Rollins. And another thing. Another thing that you won't admit, and that none of you will admit. It took a lot of guts to do what I did last week."

He must be joking. Carly laughed mirthlessly in spite of herself. What about that could have possible taken guts? He attacked from behind like a coward. He betrayed everything he stood for like a snake. Courage would've been continuing to stand against the Authority, not joining them.

"And everybody's fixated on the fact that I _stabbed my brothers in the back_," he said sarcastically, "That I betrayed my _brothers_. And maybe to Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, we were brothers. But to me, they were just business partners."

Lie number four. There was no way – no way on earth, in heaven, or in hell – that someone would do the things Seth did for Dean and Roman if they didn't actually care. It couldn't be true. This was wrong. This was bafflingly wrong.

"And I severed a business relationship. You know," he snarled, "For two years, every night, I came out here and I put my fist out and I said 'believe in the Shield.' And every night, what I meant is what I'm gonna tell you right now. Is that you and everybody else better start believing in Seth Rollins!"

Never. Or rather, never again. Carly folded her arms tightly. She wished Dean and Roman were here with her. But they had _business _to attend to with this lying, posturing wretch.

"So that's it, Michael," said Seth, "That's all you wanted to hear, right? Oh, wait, I heard earlier tonight Dean Ambrose said that he was gonna let me say my piece, and then they were gonna come out here and kick the hell out of me. Well, I've said my piece. Where you at, boys?"

Seth shoved the microphone into Mr. Cole's hands and spread his arms wide, daring Dean and Roman to make their move. And he didn't have long to wait. The crowd screamed as they saw the Shield striding down the ramp, ready to deal out justice to their former brother. Dean and Roman jumped into the ring and then –

Carly swore loudly as the lights cut out and that hellish sound heralded the arrival of the Wyatts. When the lights came back, Dean and Roman were standing in the ring facing Harper and Rowan, and Seth was nowhere to be seen. Of course. Of course the Authority wouldn't let their newest acquisition be put in jeopardy like that. Curse them, and curse the Wyatts, too.

Dean and Roman lost no time in attacking. No obstacle could deter them for long, not when it was personal. Seth jumped back into the ring, barking orders at the Wyatts. Harper had Dean backed into a corner. Roman had just managed to toss Rowan from the ring, and set his sights on Seth.

Seth tried to bolt, but Roman was faster. He caught hold of Seth just as Dean fought free and tossed him to the ground. They were barely able to start on him before he scrambled back out of the ring and Bray Wyatt joined in the fray, turning the tide back against the Shield.

Suddenly, Cena's music started up. Carly was too relieved that the boys had help to be annoyed with Cena for ignoring her refusal. They could stand to swallow their pride for one night and live to fight another day. There were worse things in this company than teaming with Cena.

With Cena's help, Dean and Roman were quickly able to throw the Wyatts from the ring. Dean eyed Cena with a sort of suspicious, begrudging gratitude, and Carly hurried away to meet up with the Shield.

She got there just in time to see Roman shaking hands with Cena. Dean didn't extend his hand to meet Cena's, but gave a stiff nod. It was safe to assume that the Shield had found themselves a third man for the match. Cena seemed to be the only one who was enthusiastic about this team-up.

"I know you said they didn't want any help, Carly," said Cena, "But the Wyatts are my problem, too. So I figured, why not?"

"Thank you," said Carly, smiling at him.

"See you out there, guys," said Cena.

He nodded to Dean and Roman and headed off towards the locker rooms. Dean grimaced, groaning exasperatedly.

"Cena, of all people," he complained, "We had things under control, Carly. Why didn't you stop him?"

"How am I supposed to stop that life-size GI Joe?" Carly protested, "He didn't take no for an answer. And anyway, what's so bad about teaming up with him just for one match? The sooner you dispose of the Wyatts, the sooner we can get back to work on more important things."

"She's right, Dean," said Roman, "We can deal, for tonight."

"Fine," Dean sighed, "As long as I get to beat the hell out of _somebody _tonight, I guess that'll have to do."

Carly watched as the Shield and Cena fought and defeated the Wyatts, but her mind couldn't focus on the match. The things Seth had said were still bothering her, and not just because they were awful. Something just wasn't right.

The answers they had gotten were no answers at all. Carly still didn't know what Seth got in exchange for his betrayal of the Shield. Maybe entrance into that ladder match? But no, the Authority wouldn't put him up against a top contender of their own. Well, she was certain they'd find out soon enough. The Authority loved to gloat, after all.

It was a bit of a let-down, not being able to see Seth brought to justice tonight. But he wasn't going anywhere, and neither was the Shield. Carly was going to make sure that the Shield got their revenge. She just wasn't sure _how_. There was the problem of Seth, which was personal and needed to be dealt with. But as Roman had pointed out, Randy Orton was also a problem that deserved their attention.

Still, they had the time and the resolve to take care of both issues, and it seemed they had the support of more people than the Authority would like to admit. Carly had the feeling that this was all building up to something. Something _big_.

**(Note: Thanks to all the lovely people who left feedback! Due to an absurd amount of schoolwork, I'm going to take a week off and postpone putting up chapter 17 until Monday the 29th. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning ship. I'm having far too much fun writing this story for that, and a lot of the rest has already been written, or is at least planned out. I just need a little break to stay on top of all the nonsense I have to do for classes. Besides, next Monday is the 22nd and (if the word on the street is to be believed) we'll all be busy celebrating the long-awaited return of a certain crazy-eyed someone. Thank you for your patience, and I'll see you on the 29th: same WWE-time, same WWE-channel!)**


	17. The Enemy of My Enemy

**The Enemy of My Enemy**

"This is a very exciting time in the WWE," Triple H was saying, "It is not very often that I can guarantee you when magic will happen. It is not very often that I can guarantee you when history will be made, but I can do just that, right now. Because at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, history will be made. A moment that you will never forget will happen. And I can guarantee you that a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned."

While Dean and Roman were off getting suited up, Carly was standing backstage, listening disinterestedly as Triple H repeated himself. Qualifying matches for a shot at the title, these guys have already qualified, so on and so forth. If Triple H had a point, Carly hoped he would get to it soon. More than that, she hoped it'd be some useful information. She didn't want to admit it to Dean and Roman, but she really didn't have any idea how she was going to get one of them into that match.

"Now, that being said," Triple H went on, "I have a surprise. In addition to that ladder match, at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, there will be a second ladder match. That's right. And this one will be a traditional Money in the Bank contract ladder match, where above this very ring will hang a briefcase containing a contract for a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship."

Carly rolled her eyes. A match for the Money in the Bank contract at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view? What a novel idea. That wasn't a surprise announcement. That was a given. Unless…

"And even better news than that?" said Triple H, "Guess who the first entrant is."

Of course. It had to be.

"Please help me welcome him right now. The future of the WWE - Seth Rollins!"

That music started up, and a Seth who looked nothing at all like Seth stepped onto the stage. The sight of him in a grey suit with his hair cut short still made Carly do a double-take.

But what did that matter now? She finally had the answer. This is what Seth had been promised in exchange for betraying the Shield. The Authority had wanted to cover all their bases. Randy Orton was their chosen champion to take the title. And Seth? He was going to be their insurance policy, their plan B. They had promised him that he would become Mr. Money in the Bank. Carly's heart and thoughts were now racing. This was exactly what she'd been waiting for. Now she had a plan. She was going to stop Seth from getting that contract if it was the last thing she did.

"Now," Triple H said over the resoundingly negative response to Seth's presence, "You'll all find out more about the Money in the Bank contract ladder match in the coming weeks. But right now, there are other things to talk about. Seth, I already know, they already know 'cause you've already said it. We know why you did it. What I really wanna know is, how did it feel?"

Triple H smiled as only a sadistic megalomaniac can smile, and handed the microphone to Seth. There was a pause while Seth seemed to consider his answer. Chants of "you sold out!" swelled through the arena. When Seth finally spoke, his voice still carried the even, dispassionate tone that matched the expression on his face.

"You know, that's an interesting question, actually. When I stood in this ring, right… right here, actually, I had the chair in my hands and I took a step back, and right before I swung as hard as I could at Roman Reigns, there was this moment. This stillness came over me, this clarity. And then I stepped forward and I struck my brother right in the back, and I looked over at Dean Ambrose, and I saw him trying to grasp what was happening. And before he knew what hit him, I dropped him, too."

Seth's voice grew louder now, more intense. A ghastly, empty smile formed on his face as he relived that night. When he went on, it was with a sort of wonderstruck eagerness, and Carly got the feeling that she was watching any shred of humanity Seth had left slipping away.

"And the feeling I had was a power that I can't even describe. It was… it was incredible. It was like nothing I've ever felt in my entire life. It was like nothing Dean Ambrose or Roman Reigns is ever gonna feel. They'll never know that power, because everything they ever were, they owe to me."

To the crowd's credit, they weren't buying this at all. Good thing, too, because now Seth started to get petty.

"And they're nothing without me. They'll never know that power, just like each and every one of you will never understand that power. Because, just like you, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose are destined for mediocrity. Their entire lives, and your entire lives, you'll sit in the exact same place, and you'll do the exact same thing, and you'll never reach any of your dreams or accomplish any of your goals. Because you don't have the guts. That's right, you don't have the guts to do what I did last Monday. You know who does understand that power?"

Oh, boy. Here it comes. Only the certain knowledge that it would be completely futile kept Carly from marching out there and slapping some sense into that two-toned Anakin Skywalker.

"Triple H understands. He understands more than anybody what it takes to get to the top. You can't sit around idly and wait for opportunities to come your way. No, you gotta strike while the iron is hot. You gotta create your own opportunities. And even more than that, you've gotta seize those opportunities. My goal in this business is to be the greatest that ever stepped foot in this ring. And don't think for two seconds that I wouldn't skewer my friends, and walk over their bodies to do what I gotta do to be the best!"

Geez… That got dark awful quickly.

"I adapted, and I evolved. What you're looking at is the evolution of Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were nothing but dead weight, and I did what I had to do. I cut them loose. Now I said a second ago that you gotta create your own opportunities, and you do. But I'd like to take this time to thank a man who helped me create this specific opportunity. Triple H, thank you for helping me create this opportunity."

Carly might've thrown up in her mouth a little, watching those two smug monsters in suits shaking hands. But at least it looked like they were done running their mouths now, and –

What on earth…? Dolph Ziggler's music had just started playing. Carly was dumbfounded. She couldn't imagine what Dolph was doing, getting himself involved with this. He walked out onto the stage, microphone in hand. There was no posturing this time, no showmanship. Dolph's face was entirely serious. Whatever he was doing, he meant business.

"Congratulations, Seth. Let me be the first to congratulate you," said Dolph, "On being a self-centered, scumbag traitor."

The crowd screamed their approval and agreement. Triple H and Seth just seemed amused by the insults.

"You see, Seth, you can giggle all you want," said Dolph, "I know people like you. Everyone here knows someone like you, that's either stabbed them in the back, found the loophole to get around things, taken every possible shortcut there is to get ahead. But not me, Seth. See, every time I step foot in that ring, I've a chip on my shoulder that says I am here to show the world just how damn good I am at this. Seth, I'm gonna wipe that smug look off your face, and I am gonna cram that arrogance down your tiny giraffe neck. 'Cause tonight? Tonight I'm gonna show the world what it means to be a WWE superstar. And I'm gonna do it without an egomaniacal boss holding my hand every step of the way. So sharpen up that knife, Seth. 'Cause tonight you're gonna need it."

As Dolph's music poured through the speakers, he locked eyes with Seth. The expression on Dolph's face was a steelier, more determined one than Carly had ever seen him wear before. She didn't know what to make of it. But she was worried for him. Even if Dolph was taking this seriously, he had just picked a very dangerous fight.

And Carly had other things pressing on her mind. They had to stop Seth from getting that briefcase. The best way to do that would be to get both Dean and Roman into the contract ladder match. But that would leave Randy Orton in position to take the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title, and she knew Roman had a bone to pick with Orton. So should they risk trying to divide and conquer by covering all the bases? Carly didn't exactly like the idea of putting Dean and Roman on separate paths, though…

The sound of heavy, rapidly approaching footsteps caught Carly's attention. She looked up to see Dean and Roman marching down the hallway towards her.

"Alright," Dean demanded, "What does your friend the cabana boy think he's doing?"

Dean looked distinctly miffed, and Roman didn't look much happier. By rights, they had first dibs on teaching Seth a lesson. Anybody else who wanted a piece of him had better get in line, or risk the consequences.

"I don't know," said Carly, "I mean, he had a match scheduled against Seth tonight, but I don't know why he felt the need to fan the flames like that."

"This isn't his fight," Roman shook his head.

"Exactly," said Carly, "I'm gonna go try to figure out what's going on."

"And tell him to mind his own business!" Dean called after her.

Carly hurried off to find Dolph. The last thing Dean needed was another person he wanted to punch in the face, and the last thing Dolph needed was another person who wanted to punch him in the face. Finding the door open, Carly walked into Dolph's locker room.

"Dolph…" she said slowly.

"Oh, hey Carly," said Dolph, looking up to smile at her.

"Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into here?" said Carly.

"I know _exactly _what I'm doing," he said, "And since when do you have so little faith in me?"

Of course, Dolph seemed completely unconcerned about the potential repercussions of his challenge, and continued getting his gear together. Carly followed him around the room in frustration.

"That isn't it what I mean at all," said Carly, "I don't want to see you get hurt, Dolph. You can't just go around picking fights with the Authority's newest pet. You _know _what happens to people who mess with them."

"Doesn't seem to stop you from doing it," he said.

"That's different-"

"How is it different?" said Dolph, finally stopping and turning to face Carly, "Me and you, we're trying to do the same thing here. We're both trying to take a stand. We're both trying to do what's _right_. And we're in the perfect position to do that, because whatever they do to hurt us, they can't stop us. We have nothing to be afraid of. I mean, you can't lose your job, and me? Well, I've got nothing to lose. What Rollins did is all of our problem. Not just yours, and not just the Shield's. Now, the Authority has the people in that locker room running scared. But not me. So while I appreciate your concern, Carly, I'm gonna do what I have to."

Carly was surprised at the intensity in Dolph's voice as he spoke. She hadn't realized that other people had taken Seth's betrayal so personally. But then again, Seth was one of their own. He'd been one of the most effective champions against the Authority. Dolph was right, about everything.

Dolph's expression softened and he looked away.

"Besides," he said, "You didn't see the look on your face when it happened. Like somebody snuffed you out like a candle. A guy like Rollins deserves the worst we all can give him."

Carly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Startled, it took Dolph a second to return the embrace. Dolph Ziggler may be something of a cocky little punk at times, but Carly would fight anyone who said he wasn't a good man. Carly stepped back and smiled at him.

"Thank you, Dolph," she said, "You go out there and you kick his face in, alright?"

"You don't need to tell me twice," said Dolph, smiling, "Let the Shield know that I'm not trying to get in the way of their crusade or anything. I'm just trying to make a point tonight. And, if you can swing it, can you do me a favor? After I went and said I could beat him without somebody holding my hand, it'd kinda defeat the purpose if your boys got involved."

"Alright," Carly nodded, "And if worse comes to worse and it doesn't go your way, I promise I will personally make sure that Seth doesn't get to enjoy it for a second."

"How're you gonna manage that?" Dolph asked curiously.

"I'd say 'you'll see,'" said Carly, "But I'm really hoping you won't. Good luck."

xXx

"Not buying it," said Dean, "Considering the amount of bleach that has to have leaked into his brain at this point, I'm not obligated to listen to anything he says."

Carly sighed in exasperation. Dean was already being petulant about this. It wasn't going to be easy convincing him to stay his hand when he'd already been cheated out of revenge once this week.

"You don't have to like it," she said, "But I'm telling you, this might actually be a good thing."

"A good thing?" said Dean, his eyebrows arching incredulously, "That peacock strutting in where he's not wanted is a good thing? Please, explain this to me."

"This is going to send a message that the Authority doesn't want people to hear," said Carly, "Think about that match on Monday. Triple H wanted to isolate the Shield. No offense, but you guys apparently did a pretty good job of alienating people when you started out here. He was banking on the fact that you made so many enemies that nobody was going to care enough to help you out. But he was wrong. A lot of the people in that locker room care about you."

Roman snorted and Dean made a face, unconvinced. They were inches away from tuning her out, but this was something that they needed to understand. Carly had to try harder.

"Hey! Look at me," she ordered, "Go ahead and scoff, but it's true. When Seth turned on you, that made them sympathetic towards you. I don't mean they pity you or anything like that. But up until that point, they were willing to let the Shield fight the Authority on their own. They may not have liked you, but you were their champions. Then Seth sold out and stabbed his brothers in the back. For one of their heroes to do something like that was unforgivable. You've heard how personally the fans took that betrayal, and I'm willing to bet more of the roster than you think feels the same way. This is _exactly _what Triple H doesn't want. And that's exactly why you have to let it happen."

Carly watched their faces as she spoke. Roman was disbelieving at first, but slow acceptance dawned on his face as she went on. Dean, on the other hand, held a stubborn reluctance first to notion that anyone would _want _to take the Shield's part in this war, and second to the idea that he was going to have to let them.

"I guess you're right," said Roman, smiling at her, "See? This is why we need you around, princess. Somebody's gotta think like a strategist."

"Fine," Dean grumbled, "We'll let Ziggler have his fight. At least we'll get to go out there and pound on that two-timing snake afterwards."

"Actually…" Carly said hesitantly.

"Oh, come on!" Dean groaned, throwing his head back, "Why not?"

"Well, Dolph did say he could do this without somebody holding his hand," said Carly, "So it'd be a little counter-productive for you to get involved."

"Another victim of Carly's philosophy of honor above all else," Roman teased.

"You are a bad influence on this entire company," Dean said flatly.

"And that's why you like me," Carly said, tilting her head and smiling at him.

Dean made a face at her to cover the fact that he was trying not to smile, and Carly knew she had won him over. Thank goodness. Dean and Roman could both stand to be a little more patient about this revenge business. If for no other reason than giving her more time to come up with a plan.

"But what if Ziggler loses?" asked Roman, "Are we just gonna let Seth walk away with a win?"

"Do you trust me?" Carly said after a pause.

"More often than not," said Dean, "Why?"

"Then let me take care of everything, if it comes to that," she said.

Carly had a plan. Seth knew exactly how badly she could annoy Triple H when she put her mind to it. It was about time he got a taste of it himself.

"Well, we did get a crack at him on Monday, and she didn't," said Roman, glancing at Dean.

"It's only fair, I guess," said Dean, "Alright, princess. Tonight is your turn."

Dean stopped and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"We still get to go out there and talk, at least, right?" he said.

"Of course," Carly laughed.

"Like anything could stop you from talking in the first place," Roman muttered, smothering a grin.

"Real cute," said Dean.

"On that note, don't worry if the crowd's a little dead. They're Midwesterners, after all," Carly said apologetically, "And try to ignore them if some morons start chanting 'go, Pack, go!' or something."

"How do you know they'll do that?" asked Roman.

"Because these are my people," Carly sighed.

xXx

"I don't need to tell you what you already know," said Dean, the excited crowd hanging on his every word, "So I don't need to tell you what the Authority is trying to do. It's clear as day. Triple H, you think you hold all the cards? You think you've stacked the deck against us. Well, listen up, kiddo. We're not gonna wait for you to deal. We're gonna flip that table right over, and we're coming for your throne. So you're the king of kings, are you? I hate to break it to you, but aces are high in this game, and our ace? Well, she's more than capable of turning your whole little empire and all your little schemes upside down."

Carly was surprised to hear those words of praise coming from Dean. She hadn't expected him to include her in this. He never really had before, after all. She was their manager. She talked up the Shield, not the other way around. But, true to his word, Dean remembered her. He'd realized that she shared in the pain of their loss, and now he recognized that she had a claim in their revenge, too. And hearing Dean talk as proudly of her as he would of Roman was making Carly blush a little.

"As for puppet suit Seth Rollins, my, uh… Well, I guess he's not my brother," Dean continued, glancing over at Roman, "My former business partner. I'm shutting down the Seth Rollins business for good."

The spectators cheered in approval. Dean paused, and turned back to look at Roman.

"And I know that look," he said, "I feel like you may have a message for another spineless corporate stooge. So why don't you give it to him?"

Roman took the microphone from Dean and glared severely into the camera.

"I hope you're enjoying your night off, Randy," he said, "Because when I get my hands on you, you're gonna want a permanent vacation. And like I said Monday night on Raw, you think you're the face of the WWE, but you're not the face, you're the ass. And you're also just a spoiled little kid who gets whatever he wants from his daddy, Triple H. You didn't even qualify for the championship ladder match. You were just given the opportunity like everything else. Well, guess what? Everybody wants to be WWE Champion, but who knows? Maybe Dean or I will just beat you to it."

As the crowd cheered once again, a rather unwelcome voice interrupted. Dean and Roman turned to look up at the TitanTron, where Triple H's face had appeared.

"Wow," he said, "Wow, guys, I gotta hand it to you. That really sounds good. But unfortunately, there are only so many slots available to qualify for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match. I only really have one qualifying slot available, and there are two of you. It seems really unfair. So there's only one fair way to decide who gets that shot. You're brothers. I wouldn't wanna do this any other way, so here we go."

Carly raised an eyebrow as Triple H held up a quarter. Really? He was going to toss a coin? Triple H flipped the coin into the air, caught it, and placed it on the back of his hand.

"Dean Ambrose!" he announced.

That was strange for one of two possible reasons. The first reason would be that Triple H didn't know how coin tosses worked, because he hadn't even called which person was heads or tails. A more plausible reason was that this was completely arbitrary, and Triple H was just putting Dean in a match to shut him up or hurt him, or both.

" Congratulations, Dean Ambrose," Triple H said with a smile, "You get the opportunity to qualify tonight. I say congratulations kinda loosely because you're gonna go up against Bray Wyatt. Oh, and Roman? I know how you guys like to do things together, so I'm gonna ban you from ringside, and I'm gonna ban the rest of the Wyatt family from ringside as well. And Dean, you might wanna just pick up your little things and leave the ring right now because you're banned from ringside for Roman Reigns' match, which is next. 'Cause Roman, I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you."

Carly sighed in exasperation. Door number two it was. Triple H was just putting Dean and Roman in matches to keep them busy. And of course, Barrett _would _be involved. Roman stared at the stage, deadpan, as that cape-wearing bully made his entrance.

But at least there'd been some good news, more or less. Dean had a shot at getting into that ladder match. Carly still had her suspicions, though. Triple H had handed him this match far too easily. Something was rotten in the state of Wisconsin.

A disgruntled Dean marched backstage to join Carly as the match got underway. He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall to watch with her.

"Congratulations?" she said hesitantly.

"Don't like it," he declared, shaking his head, "Too easy. But, hey, we take what we can get, huh?"

Dean was sulking a little, but his mood was still much less dark than it had been. He was resilient, after all. She shouldn't be so worried. Carly smiled and turned her attention back to the monitor. It was an evenly matched fight, to start with. Roman was holding his own quite well. But as the match went on, Barrett started to take control.

Carly winced as Barrett got a near-fall. This was aggravating. A loss for Roman would be unfortunate and annoying, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. This wasn't a qualifying match. Carly would have to find some other way to get him into one of those.

Suddenly, Roman hit Barrett with a Samoan drop, giving him a little breathing room in which to rally. Thank goodness. Now Roman was in control. A few powerful clotheslines and blows to the face drove Barrett to the ground, and got him an apron dropkick to boot. Add a Superman punch on top of that, and it looked like it was all over for Barrett. Roman stood in the corner, waiting for an opening to deliver a spear and then –

"Oh, come on!" Carly shouted.

3MB, the mini goon squad, was headed down to the ring, and Carly was willing to bet anything that they weren't there to harass Barrett. She turned to Dean.

"You gonna go help him?" she asked.

"If I have to," said Dean, "But Roman said he wanted to handle this on his own. And y'know how Roman is. He doesn't like being saved when he doesn't need saving."

Dean grinned at Carly. She shrugged. If that's the way they wanted it, she guessed she'd deal with it. Doesn't mean she approved, of course.

Roman watched in unimpressed irritation as 3MB surrounded the ring. Barrett rolled out of the ring, and 3MB pounced. The three-on-one assault quickly brought down the already worn-out Roman.

"Dean…" Carly said uneasily.

"Hang on," he said, "Give him a minute."

But Dean had pushed himself away from the wall and was poised to run to the rescue at a second's notice. 3MB was dragging Roman back to his feet when they were suddenly flung aside like so many ragdolls. Roman threw back his head and roared.

All three members of 3MB had been tossed from the ring. With a confident swagger in his step, Roman jumped to the floor and prowled after them. Mahal was thrown over the announcers' table. McIntyre was on the receiving end of one hell of a spear. A now thoroughly keyed-up Roman turned to find Slater vaulting over the steps at him. Reacting with a speed that caught Carly (and Slater, for that matter) by surprise, Roman speared Slater right out of the air.

"Attaboy, Roman!" Dean crowed, punching the air.

Laughing, Dean threw an arm around Carly's shoulders.

"See? What did I tell you?" he said, "My boy Roman had it covered, no sweat."

"Alright, so I stand corrected," said Carly, "I shouldn't have doubted either of you. But you can't blame me for worrying, you know."

"S'pose not," Dean admitted, "That's your job, after all. So you'll forgive me for ignoring your advice this time, but I didn't wanna get lectured by a big Samoan guy with wounded pride."

"Fair enough," said Carly, laughing, "I was kinda scared for a second there when Trips was talking about how there was only one qualifying slot and two of you. I really thought he was going to make you and Roman fight each other."

"I didn't even think of that," he said, looking at her in bemusement, "That would've been a good evil plan, though. I'm glad you're on our side."

"Hilarious," Carly said drily, "But speaking of evil plans, I have to go set one up now, just in case."

"So…" said Dean, casting a sidelong hopeful glance at her, "You gonna tell me what it is?"  
"Nope," said Carly.

That Carly was throwing one of his more memorable quotes back at him was not lost on Dean. She couldn't help laughing again when he folded his arms and sulked.

"Aww, you're no fun," he said.

"Lies and slander," said Carly, "See you in a bit."

xXx

The only thing stranger than seeing the now short-haired Seth in a suit had been seeing him in his new ring gear. The fact that he had new gear at all made Carly wonder exactly how long they'd been plotting his shift in loyalties. He wore the standard trunks/kneepads/boots combination that the members of Evolution had, making his gear as forgettable as his music. But instead of the basic black look Trips and Orton favored, Seth's new gear was red and gold and white. In essence, it was conspicuously _not _the Shield's colors.

Worse ended up coming to worse, as far as the match went. It was an intense fight on both sides. Seth made a point to target Dolph's face and throat, as though he was trying to shut Dolph up. Carly got her hopes up when Seth came off the top rope into a dropkick from Dolph that looked like it nearly went right through him. But sadly, it all ended with Dolph Ziggler beaten half to death and Seth Rollins victorious. Well, he would only enjoy that triumph for about two seconds.

Seth's celebrations were cut abruptly short. A dumbfounded, perplexed expression was stamped on his face when, instead of his new theme, the voice of Elvis came through the speakers:

"_You look like an angel, walk like an angel, talk like an angel, but I got wise. You're the devil in disguise. Oh, yes, you are the devil in disguise."_

It had been almost disappointingly easy to convince the techs to _accidentally_ swap out Seth's music for "Devil in Disguise", but the reaction was priceless. Carly, in true trickster fashion, couldn't quite resist taking credit for the joke. She sauntered nonchalantly out onto the stage to watch the fun. Seth was outraged, practically screaming at the baffled crew. Dolph was being helped backstage by two officials. In spite of the beating he'd taken, Dolph was laughing hysterically at the fit Seth was throwing.

Finally, Seth looked towards the stage and noticed Carly. He stared at her, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. A little slow on the uptake tonight, wasn't he? Carly waved cheerily at him, then gestured questioningly towards the speakers, as if to ask him what was happening. Seth's face turned a brilliant shade of rage-red.

"You did this!" he howled, pointing at her, "You did this! I know it was you!"

What an immature little brat he was. Carly pressed a hand to her heart, looking thoroughly offended by this accusation, but she couldn't suppress an amused grin. Seth was still shouting at her. Whatever he was saying was lost beneath the laughing and chanting of the crowd. He was positively steamed, breathlessly irate. Frankly, it was hilarious. To add insult to injury (and to get out of there before the Authority sent someone to make her pay for the joke) Carly blew Seth a kiss and sauntered back around the curtain and out of sight.

It was only at that point that Carly realized what had just happened. This was the first time she'd faced Seth since that night, and the ramifications of that hadn't even crossed her mind. She hadn't been worried about keeping her composure in his presence. In her mind, this was just like any other time she'd pulled a trick on the Authority. Just strike at their vanity, right? That's their weak point. Not _Seth's _weak point, but the Authority's. And it had worked.

Carly was starting to feel somewhat uneasy. She hadn't even given it a second thought. Shouldn't she have? This was Seth, after all. This was her former friend, her mentor, even. This was the guy who betrayed and brutally attacked his own brothers, her friends, not two weeks ago. And she'd treated him no differently than if he was Randy Orton or Triple H. It was unsettling how quickly her mind had accepted seeing him as the enemy. Carly wasn't sure if she'd given up on him too easily, or if he was just that much of a monster that she couldn't really do anything else.

"One order of steamed traitor, served hot under the collar," Carly announced as she found Dean and Roman.

"I don't know what I was expecting," Dean shook his head admiringly, "But that wasn't it. Not that it wasn't pretty hilarious, though."

"You got him riled pretty good," Roman said with an approving grin.

"Like you said, I know the Authority," Carly shrugged, "I know him. Raining on their parade is child's play."

"You do, of course, realize that they'll be gunning for you now, right?" said Dean.

"Because they weren't before?" said Carly.

"Yeah, but you just officially announced a continuation of hostilities," he said, "And embarrassed Triple H's brand new lapdog in the process. They don't like it when you make them look stupid, is all I'm saying."

"Oh, what are they gonna do?" Carly said dismissively, "Lock me up again? It's obnoxious, but it's not torture."

"For you, maybe," Dean muttered.

"What do you mean, for me, maybe?" said Carly.

Carly knew the answer as soon as the words left her mouth. She knew that being treated like a madman bothered Dean, and understandably so. But torture was a strong word. Would being locked up really get to him that much? Dean's shoulder twitched uncomfortably. He was slouching a bit now, and his expression had darkened. Fear wasn't something often seen in Dean's eyes, but Carly was sure she saw it there now. She felt like a jerk for talking that flippantly about something that was clearly a source of anxiety for him. When Dean noticed the concerned sidelong glance she was giving him, he straightened up and shrugged it off.

"Never been a fan of locked doors," he said nonchalantly, "Anyway, what are we standing around talking for? I got a match coming up."

Evasively changing the subject. Carly knew better than to push the matter. Fear was a foreign concept to Dean Ambrose. She couldn't imagine that he handled it well, and she was certain that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Speak of the devil, Wyatt's saying something right now," said Roman, nodding towards the monitor.

"Oh," said Dean, "About me?"

"It's kinda hard to tell with him," Roman wrinkled his nose.

"Ugh, Bray Wyatt creeps me out," Carly shuddered, "Like this company needs _more _self-righteous, manipulative psychopaths."

"Or more demons," said Roman, "Depending on what you believe."

"Shh!" Dean said with mock urgency, "Gotta watch what you say, Roman. Remember who her dad is."

Dean appeared to be doing alright, all things considered. Getting revenge on Seth was still a priority, but he was acting like himself. And he honestly seemed excited about the qualifying match. Still, Carly couldn't be too careful.

"Hey, Dean?" she said gingerly, "In case something goes pear-shaped during the match-"

"I know, I know," he said, "Stay focused. I'll give it my best, princess. Promise."

xXx

Carly and Roman stood together backstage near the locker rooms, watching Dean walk down to the ring. He paused, one foot up on the barricade, to point to the belts hanging above. Good. He was focused on the task at hand. At least, Carly hoped he was. She wrung her hands restlessly, an absent gesture that did not escape Roman's notice.

"You worried about something?" asked Roman.

"This match," said Carly, "There's no way it isn't a trap. I mean, your match was. I just… I don't know if Dean cares enough to stay on task about qualifying if something, y'know, happens."

"Don't sell him short," said Roman, "Dean'll surprise you."

"I know that," Carly said reluctantly, "I'm still worried, though."

"If anything goes wrong, I'm ready to bail him out," he said, "So don't lose hope yet, alright, princess?"

"Alright," said Carly.

The amount of back-and-forth at the beginning of this match made Carly feel like she was watching tennis. Dean took control, then Wyatt hit him with a clothesline. Dean got to his feet, only for Wyatt to rake his eye against the ropes. Dean got free. He punched and headbutted Wyatt, who whipped Dean towards the ropes. Dean rebounded and knocked Wyatt off his feet with a crossbody, and proceeded to tear into this so-called god.

Dean had cornered Wyatt, and the referee unfortunately did his job and forced Dean away. When the ref turned back to Wyatt, he had twisted himself into that weird, upside-down horror movie pose of his. The ref jumped back in terror. Dean, however, looked far less impressed. He stared down at Wyatt in bored incredulity, marched over, and kicked him in the head. Shocked cheers erupted from the audience, and Carly couldn't help but laugh. Apparently, nobody had thought to do that before. But then again, it would take more than Bray Wyatt to unnerve Dean Ambrose.

Dean was gaining momentum now. He delivered a powerful dropkick to Wyatt's chest, sending him to the floor. Dean leapt over the ropes, only to be caught by Wyatt and slammed spine-first into the apron. Carly winced. Dean was sprawled out on the floor, clutching at his shoulder. That couldn't be good.

And it wasn't. That small reprieve was all Wyatt needed to turn the tide back against Dean. He took advantage of the situation, focusing on the injured shoulder. Carly and Roman watched in dismay as Dean was worn down by his opponent. Carly was beginning to think that Roman was wrong, and her worries were well-founded. Dean was better than this. Only a lack of focus on his part would've allowed Bray Wyatt of all people to gain the upper hand in the first place.

Dean rallied suddenly, planting Wyatt with a DDT. Dean took advantage of the separation to breathe, to pull himself back together and drag himself to his feet. Wyatt hauled himself upright in the turnbuckle. Dean charged, but Wyatt was too quick for him, catching Dean with a boot to the chin that nearly knocked his head off. Damn.

Wyatt was back in control. Carly couldn't give up hope, not yet. There was still a chance that Dean could pull this off. Then they'd be one step closer to thwarting the Authority's plans. If only Dean could come back and win this match. But his shoulder was clearly hurting him, and Carly thought she could see blood on his chin.

Wyatt sent Dean into the ropes, which was all Dean needed to catch him with a pendulum lariat. Dean went for the cover and Wyatt kicked out at two. Both men were down, out of breath, struggling to get back to their feet. Wyatt stood first, seizing the kneeling Dean by the hair. Dean, in true Dean Ambrose fashion, had to start talking trash and goading Wyatt to hit him in the face, because of course he had to. Wyatt was only too happy to oblige, and the two men began trading blows.

The back-and-forth began again. Carly drummed her fingers anxiously against the wall. Come on, Dean. Come on. He could do this. He had to. Wyatt was laid out in the ring. Dean climbed up the turnbuckle and floored him with a missile dropkick. Come on, come on. He was so close. Get up, Dean. Get up!

Near-fall for Dean. Near-fall for Wyatt. This was maddening. Suddenly, Dean was able to catch Bray Wyatt around the neck and hit him with Dirty Deeds. This was it. Dean had it. All he had to do was –

Oh, no. Oh, _no_.

"Where the hell did he come from?" Carly yelled.

Seth, out of nowhere, had appeared on top of the announcers' table. He threw his arms out, daring Dean to come after him.

"I don't know!" said Roman, "Don't fall for it, Dean. Come on, don't – oh, God damn it!"

Dean dragged himself out of the ring, all thoughts of the match forgotten. He was focused on one thing and one thing alone – making Seth pay. Carly raked her hands through her hair. This was it. They were done for.

As Dean came at him, Seth jumped down from the table. Dean ran after Seth, following him into the ring and right into the arms of Bray Wyatt. Sister Abigail, one-two-three, and it was all over. Seth stood at the base of the ramp and looked on, laughing, as Bray Wyatt stood victorious over the crumpled remains of Dean Ambrose.

Roman swore vehemently, rubbing his hand across his mouth. Carly turned away from the monitor and pounded her fist against the wall. So close. They were _so close_. But of course it was a trap. It always had been. She'd known all along that the Authority wouldn't let the Shield get anywhere near that title shot. She didn't know why she'd gotten her hopes up in the first place.

Carly turned back, slouching against the wall and glowering at the monitor. She was debating the logistics of whether or not she could get near enough to Seth to punch him in his smug mouth, and how many times she would be able to do so before getting kicked out. Dean still lay in the ring, his chest heaving. Bray Wyatt, on the other hand, was gesturing furiously for a microphone. Carly groaned. Fantastic. On top of everything else, now she'd have to listen to this rambling moron _talk _again.

"I know you, Seth Rollins," said Wyatt, tilting his head and smiling curiously at him, "I've faced you before, and I've beaten you before, and I do not need your help to fight my battles."

As Wyatt spoke, Seth walked slowly back to the ring, hopping up on the apron and leaning over the ropes to listen.

"But if you're willing, boy," Wyatt continued, "Why don't you step into this ring and we can take care of our problems, right now?"

Wyatt threw the microphone aside. Seth stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. Then Seth removed his suit jacket, tossed it aside, and stepped through the ropes. Seth and Wyatt sized each other up, and then proceeded to begin kicking the daylights out of Dean. Somehow, Carly felt like she should've seen that coming.

"Son of a bitch," Roman growled.

He bolted off towards the ring. Carly didn't follow, since she was still under orders from the boys not to get in fights this week. Also, she had promised herself she would step back and let Dean and Roman get the first crack at Seth. Roman would be able to handle this, and then they could get out of here and start to think up a new strategy.

Carly's relief was short-lived, however, as Erick Rowan and Luke Harper suddenly barreled past, heading for the ring.

"No, no, no!" Carly shouted, watching them in helpless disbelief.

"Hey, what's the matter?" a voice asked.

Carly turned to see the Usos and Sheamus hurrying down the hall towards her.

"Seth and the whole Wyatt family are gonna beat the hell out of Roman and Dean," she said hurriedly.

"Wyatts, huh?" said Jey, grinning at Jimmy.

"Don't you worry, love. We'll handle this," said Sheamus, "Come on, boys!"

And with that, off they ran, too. Carly turned back to the monitor. Roman and Dean were getting the worst of a four-on-two mugging. Then she heard the crowd roar, and Sheamus and the Usos leapt into the fray. Sheamus went after Wyatt while the Usos took care of Harper and Rowan. Seth, suddenly realizing that the odds were against him, tried to flee. But Roman caught him, forcing him into the corner as Dean rolled out of the ring.

One by one, the Wyatt family was dumped to the floor. Dean slid back into the ring and held a chair aloft, redoubling the cheers of the audience. Roman backed off. Seth stumbled out of the corner. Dean brought the chair slamming down on his back. Seth's back arched, and he staggered forward right into a spear from Roman.

Before they could do more, a few officials pulled Seth from the ring while the crowd chanted for the Hounds of Justice. Dean started to follow, but Roman put a hand on his shoulder. Dean grimaced and shrugged, apparently deciding that vengeance could wait. (Now _why_ couldn't he have decided that about five minutes ago?) Roman smiled. He took Dean's face in his hands and rested his forehead against Dean's for a moment before pulling him into a hug.

Roman and (to Carly's surprise) Dean as well went to shake hands gratefully with Sheamus and the Usos, and then hopped down from the ring to greet the spectators as the Shield's music blared over the speakers. Carly ran a hand through her hair. She was finally able to breathe again. That was bad, but it could've been worse. It _would've _been worse, if the boys hadn't've had help. The Usos and Sheamus walked backstage, heading for the locker room.

"Thank you, guys," Carly said earnestly, shaking hands with them, "Really, thank you."

"No problem," Jimmy said, grinning.

"Anytime we can get our hands on those Wyatts, we're more than happy to help," said Jey.

"Oh, of course," Carly laughed, "I was wondering why you three were so eager to join the fight. I didn't think you liked the Shield."

"Well, we didn't. But that was before," said Sheamus. He lowered his voice a little before continuing, "There's no sense in holding grudges too long in this business, especially when there's a common enemy. And let's face it, most of us aren't too fond of the kind of fella who'd stab his own brothers in the back."

"So if, uh… if you ever need any help of this nature again," said Jimmy, more quietly than Carly thought the Usos were capable of speaking, "Just call on us, alright?"

"Later, Carly," said Jey.

He winked conspiratorially at her, and the three of them went off to change. Carly was surprised. First Dolph, and now these three. It seemed that her suspicions had been correct. Whether they knew or not, whether they _liked _it or not, the Shield had friends now. Trouble was brewing for the Authority. Carly wasn't sure how much they were aware of it, but she got the feeling that something had been set into motion, and they weren't going to like the outcome.

Dean and Roman rounded the corner. Dean, tired and hurt though he was, looked to be in pretty good spirits, which was surprising. Roman must've said something to him. Carly didn't know how he did it, but Roman was almost always able to get through to Dean, somehow.

"The rat got away tonight," he said, "But I think it's better if we make him sweat a little, huh, Roman?"

"Right," said Roman, grinning at him, "We've got all the time in the world. If we gotta take revenge, we might as well enjoy it. Besides, if we finished him off tonight, that'd leave Carly out of the fun."

"Thanks for remembering me," Carly said wryly.

"Carly, look. Does that look nasty to you?" asked Dean, raising his chin to show Carly how it'd been busted open.

What a child he was. He seemed almost proud of his war wound. Carly would've preferred if he didn't stick his busted chin near her face, though.

"Very nice, Dean," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"That's enough," Roman said as he ruffled Dean's hair, "Come on, let's get that stitched up."

"Alright, mom," Dean muttered.

But he didn't put up a fight when Roman threw an arm around him and pulled him towards the trainers' room. An examination of Dean's injured shoulder resulted in the diagnosis that it was a pulled muscle, and thankfully not something more serious. Dean was uncharacteristically still and compliant while the medics stitched him up. This surprised Carly at first, until she heard the medics good-naturedly joking about how this was only the four-thousandth time they'd had to patch his chin up.

"That's what he gets for sticking it out too far all the time," said Roman.

Dean opened his eyes only long enough to make a face at him. Roman just laughed. Carly was standing back a bit so she wouldn't have to watch. Needles still made her uncomfortable. But aside from that, she was in pretty good spirits, and so were Dean and Roman.

"What did I tell you two?" she said, "The roster is on your side now. And after what Sheamus and the Usos did, the whole WWE Universe knows that now, too."

"Actually…" one of the medics began, glancing over at her.

"Actually what?" Carly said slowly. She had a bad feeling about this.

"I don't want to have to give you bad news," she said apologetically, "But the broadcast went off the air almost as soon as the match ended, even before Roman ran out there."

"You mean nobody saw?" Carly spluttered, "Are you-?"

Carly was speechless for a moment, torn between bafflement and rage. Of course. The Authority knew that Roman would come to the rescue if Dean was in trouble. Everybody knew that. But if they didn't see it happen, they'd begin to have doubts. They'd question the strength of the Shield. They'd start to forget the bond between the brothers, or worse yet, they'd think that Dean and Roman were forgetting it.

"No," said Carly, "That's not happening anymore. The Authority can't just sweep this under the rug. We're gonna _make _them see."

"How?" asked Roman.

"I don't know yet, but I'll think of something," Carly said darkly.

xXx

"Alright," Carly said, when they got back to the boys' hotel room, "To business."

"I take it that means you have a plan?" said Roman.

"I do," Carly nodded.

Dean and Roman sat down on the beds and looked up at her expectantly. For a second, Carly faltered. They were prepared to give her the same eager attention that they'd given Seth. It wasn't that she was trying to take his place, and she knew that Dean and Roman neither expected nor wanted her to. It was just that she was taking on the role of strategist alone now. Carly wasn't quite certain she was equal to the task.

"W-well," she said, trying to steady her voice, "Here's what I was thinking. It's clear that the Authority promised Seth that Money in the Bank briefcase in exchange for betraying you, so we have to stop him from getting it at all costs."

"But what about the WWE World Heavyweight Champion title?" said Roman, "No way in hell I'm letting Randy Orton get his hands on that. Not after he beat me half to death when I was already down."

"Exactly," said Carly, "Which is why the best way to get revenge on Seth, and Randy Orton, and the Authority in general is to get Roman into the title match, and Dean into the contract match."

"Wait a minute," said Dean, turning to Roman, "You mean you're just gonna ignore Seth and go after Randy instead?"

Dean was suddenly anxious, almost like he was concerned that Roman was going to abandon him, too. Roman reached over to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"That's not it at all," he said, "This is just something I have to do in addition to that. We're still gonna make Seth pay, you and me, brother."

Dean nodded, a relieved smile spreading across his face. Carly was glad Roman was able to keep him reassured. The last thing Dean needed was to start getting suspicious of the people who legitimately cared about him.

"And that's important, too," said Carly, "If I know the Authority, and unfortunately I do, they're going to do everything they can to keep the two of you separated. No tag-teaming, only singles matches with the other one banned from ringside. That sort of thing. Triple H is hoping that it'll make the Shield look weak, and that it'll cause a rift between you. Which is why it is vitally important that whatever you do to sabotage Seth, you do it together. We have to make everyone see that the Shield is still here, and still strong. Alright?"

"Alright," said Roman, "One thing, though. You keep saying 'you're going to sabotage Seth.' You mean 'we,' right? _We're _going to do this together."

"Yeah," said Dean, "I mean, it'd be a shame if you pushed yourself into the background after I said all those nice things about you in front of the whole WWE Universe."

Carly looked away, hoping that the dim hotel room lighting would disguise the fact that she was blushing again.

"O-of course," she stammered, "I definitely want to be a part of this. But, I mean, this is kind of _your_ territory, and I don't want to impose or anything-"

"Oh, no you don't," Roman interrupted, "Don't you start getting all self-doubting and insecure on us now. Not when we need you."

Carly turned back to look at Roman, ashamed that she was surprised to hear him say that. Need her? Maybe they did. She needed them. And Roman's reassurance was not something to be doubted.

"I may be a little… overeager as far as the revenge business goes," said Dean, "But don't think for a second that that means you aren't wanted. C'mere."

Dean held his hand out to Carly. She hesitated a second before putting her hand in his. Dean pulled her closer, reaching out his other hand for Roman to take. He looked at both of them earnestly.

"We're not gonna let them break us apart," said Dean, "You said it yourself, princess. We're still here, and we're still strong. All three of us. Right?"

"Right," said Carly, smiling down at him.

"Good," said Dean.

He gave her hand a final squeeze before letting go.

"One question, Carly," said Roman, "How exactly do you plan on getting me and Dean into those matches?"

"I'm still working on that part," said Carly, grimacing, "But don't worry. I'll make it happen if it's the last thing I do."

"So in the meantime, sabotage?" said Dean.

He grinned at her, rubbing his hands together eagerly. A smile spread across Roman's face as well at the mention of enacting a little retribution on their former business partner.

"Precisely," said Carly, "Like Roman said, if we're gonna take revenge, we might as well have fun with it."

"I like where this is going," said Roman.

"And I like it when she gets devious," said Dean, "Keep talking, Carly.

"Well, I am the daughter of the devil himself," said Carly, "And I'm going to give the Authority hell on earth. So here's what we'll do-"

**(Note: Thank you to the lovely people who left reviews! Due to the fact that I'm currently drowning under 20 credits' worth of homework, I have to officially cut back to posting a new chapter every other week (maybe more frequently, if I'm able). I don't like having to do that, but it makes my life a whole lot easier, since I want to finish this story and not hit burnout or something stupid like that. Thank you so much for bearing with me!)**


	18. Sabotage and Subterfuge

**Sabotage and Subterfuge **

"Step one," Carly had said, "Is psychological warfare."

"That's just a fancy way of saying you're not gonna let us beat him up tonight," Dean had replied, crossing his arms.

"Think about it like this," Roman had interrupted, "We want him to suffer, right? What better what to start than to let him kill himself with anticipation?"

Dean had seen the sense in the plan, and that's how the Shield and Carly ended up scattered throughout the arena, waiting. Seth was walking down to the ring for a match with Rob Van Dam. Carly stood backstage, listening for the bell to ring. Then, it'd be showtime.

xXx

"_And we have Rob Van Dam squaring off against Seth Rollins, who is at the center of one of the most controversial situations in the WWE in recent memory"_

"_Controversial? What are you even talking about? Seth Rollins created the Shield, and he had every right to destroy it."_

"_Seth Rollins _says _he created the Shield. I think Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns might disagree."_

"_Well, why are _you _disagreeing, Michael? Who was it that named him the Architect of the Shield? Oh, that's right, it was you, mister voice-of-the-WWE."_

"_By which I meant that, of the members of the Shield, he specialized in strategy. I never said that he literally designed the Shield as a group. Why is that so hard for you to understand, John?"_

"_Hold on, you two. Look!"_

"_What in the world?"_

"_Uh, ladies and gentlemen, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns have made their way to ringside."_

"_Oh, Seth Rollins does not look happy about this."_

"_What are these two doing out here?"_

"_Why don't you ask them, John?"_

"_You ask them! You're supposed to be a reporter. Do your job, Michael."_

"_What is-? What's he doing?"_

"_Roman Reigns is leaning up against our table right now. Roman, what's, uh… what's going on? He says they're just watching. Alright then."_

"_Look who else is here."_

"_Of course. Whenever there's trouble, _she's _never far behind."_

xXx

Carly meandered out onto the stage and plunked herself down, cross-legged, at the top of the ramp. She could see that Roman was leaning against the announcers' table, and Dean was perched on the barricade that surrounded the timekeeper's area. In the ring, Rob Van Dam looked on in amusement as Seth tried to get the officials to throw Dean and Roman out.

Of course, since Dean and Roman hadn't done anything to interfere with the match, there wasn't really anything the referee could do. Or rather, the referee wasn't _inclined _to do anything yet. Carly got the feeling that this might be another person who was subtly joining the revolution.

Even from this distance, Carly could tell that Dean was nonchalantly kicking his heels against the barricade, staring up at Seth with a blankly innocent expression, and that the slow smile forming on Roman's face meant that he was loving every second of Seth's growing agitation. Seth glanced over his shoulder towards the ramp. When he saw Carly sitting there, his expression of borderline panic settled into one of grim hatred.

"Oh, don't mind me," Carly called, gesturing for him to carry on.

Seth glared at her. To his credit, RVD hadn't taken advantage of Seth's distraction, and was patiently waiting for him to turn his attention back to the match. Seth pointed and Carly, and then back at Dean and Roman, shouting something Carly assumed was a warning. Finally, the match began.

Looking at it objectively, Carly had to admit that it was a great fight. RVD and Seth were both high-flyers. It was like watching dueling ninjas. Many of the moves didn't connect simply because the other man could see it coming. They attacked each other in short bursts, fell back, circled, sized each other up, recalculated their strategies. But eventually they both decided that playtime was over and went at it in earnest.

The fight became quite brutal after that. RVD gave his young opponent a run for his money. Still, Seth was wily. He made sure that, when the fight spilled outside the ring, it did so on the side where Dean and Roman weren't. On and on the match went in an impressive display of aerial one-upmanship.

As RVD stood on the apron, about climb up on the ropes, Seth reached over and slammed his head into the steel post, sending RVD tumbling to the ground before the announcers' table. Seth looked like he was about to follow, but then caught himself. He once again pointed warningly at Dean and Roman, and ordered the referee to start the ten-count. True to their word, the Shield did not interfere. This was no small feat. What with Seth mockingly counting along with the referee, even Carly wanted to run in there and punch his stupid, smug face.

Carly groaned inwardly as Rob Van Dam was counted out. Fantastic. Yes, she'd known that there was a good chance that psyching Seth out wouldn't be enough to make him lose, and that that wasn't the goal in the first place, but still. Seth paused only long enough for the ref to raise his hand in victory before slipping out of the ring. He shot a glance back towards Dean and Roman.

But to Seth's confusion, they ignored him entirely, instead going to check on RVD. Still looking over his shoulder at them, Seth started up the ramp. He froze when he turned back to see Carly, and his triumphant arrogance faltered. Carly smiled. Good. So he was at least a little afraid of her. Carly held his gaze for a second before stepping off to the left side of the stage, leaving Seth free to walk backstage unhindered.

The chorus of booing that Seth's win had inspired quickly turned to cheers as the Shield stepped into the ring, microphones in hand. Carly made her way to ringside. She climbed onto the apron, leaning over the ropes to enjoy the show as they began to speak.

"Now, I imagine," said Dean, "That some of you might be a little disappointed that we didn't come out here tonight and make an example of a certain traitor once and for all. And I understand that. I can sympathize. Because, believe me, there's nothing I'd like better than to knock a few holes in that smug smile of his, and that's just for starters. But no. No, I think that'd be letting him off too easy. See, we're not gonna finish him off. Not just yet."

"We're gonna take that black heart of his and we're gonna carve it out," said Roman, "This is gonna be a long, drawn-out ordeal. We want him to suffer. Seth Rollins is gonna be checking his back nonstop, because he doesn't have anybody like us around anymore."

"You think Randy Orton's gonna have his back?" said Dean, raising his eyebrows. In the second that he paused, the crowd took the initiative and started a 'no' chant. Dean grinned as he continued, "You think Kane is? You think any one of the suck-ups in that goon squad of theirs would do anything to help Seth Rollins without direct orders?"

"Damn right they're not," said Roman, clapping Dean on the back, "You don't have brothers in the Authority."

"And they expect us to fall apart because we got put in one lousy handicap match against the Wyatts? Come on," Dean scoffed, "I'm not gonna hang out with my best friend anymore? I'm not gonna work with my best friend anymore? I'm not gonna fight with my best friend and partner anymore, because Triple H said so? Because that's apparently against the rules now? Well, you know me. I've never been one to play by the rules. How many miles have we traveled together?"

"Countless," said Roman

"How many cars have we crashed together?" said Dean.

Roman put a finger to his lips to shush Dean, trying to keep a straight face. Carly laughed along with the crowd. Dean was getting fired up, and there was no stopping him now. Besides, the audience loved it.

"How many late nights have we had?" Dean went on, "How many fights have we been in together? How many times have you knocked me out, put me in the hospital over something really stupid? Because when we have a problem with each other, we get it out and we say it to our faces, like _men_. We don't stab each other in the back."

"Now Hunter? He can take his rules and he can shove them up his ass," said Roman.

He paused only a second to let the loudest of the cheering subside. And in that moment, he glanced at Carly and smiled, and he and Dean walked over to join her. Carly was careful to keep a look of surprise from registering on her face. This wasn't part of the plan. This was improvised. But as they stood on either side of her, Carly understood. It had been a symbol of unity when the three members of the Shield stood side by side, and this was no different.

"Justice doesn't play by the Authority's rules," said Roman, putting a hand on Carly's shoulder.

"What was Triple H saying last week?" said Dean, "That the Shield is going to be no more? That we're gonna 'whimper into extinction'? Look at us! Look at us right now, right here in this ring! We're still standing. The Shield is still standing, and we aren't going anywhere."

"Believe that," Roman finished, "And believe in the Shield."

As the Shield's music came pouring through the speakers. Dean and Roman held out their fists together proudly, leveling defiant glares into the cameras. They knew the Authority was watching. That was step two: letting everyone know that the Shield intended to prove Triple H's dire predictions wrong, and that their mission had not changed. The Authority, the greatest injustice in the WWE, was going to be dealt with.

xXx

With a statement like that, the Authority had no choice but to make a rebuttal. Carly and the Shield hung around one of the backstage monitors as Seth, now dressed in a suit, made his way to the ring.

"How long are you gonna wait before you interrupt and put us out of our misery?" Dean asked.

"Not long," Carly shrugged, "But long enough to see what nonsense he's gonna spout to cover for the fact that the Shield refuses to remain destroyed."

"Inviting him to inflate the lie, huh?" said Roman.

"Exactly," said Carly.

Seth waited with insufferably complacent patience as the now familiar chanting swelled through the arena.

"The remnants of the Shield were out here earlier making some pretty big claims," said Seth, "And all of you just ate it up. For some reason, you all still _believe _in Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Well, you don't know them like I do."

"Oh, this should be good," Dean muttered.

"I know who Roman Reigns is," said Seth, "I know _what _Roman Reigns is. Roman Reigns is a volcano."

Roman snorted and Carly pursed her lips to keep from laughing.

"Volcano…?" Dean repeated incredulously. He wrinkled his nose and looked over at Roman, "Y'know, I'm not seeing it."

"Roman Reigns has a rage inside of him that should keep every single one of you people up at night knowing that you gotta walk the same streets as this guy," Seth continued insistently, "Roman Reigns is an angry soul."

"An angry soul?" said Roman, laughing in disbelief.

Seth was definitely grasping now. Trying to paint Dean as a legitimate madman was one thing, but trying to convince everyone that calm, heroic, taciturn Roman was something to be afraid of was another matter entirely.

"He does realize that the entire WWE Universe has witnessed the fact that you are the Shield's den mother, right?" said Carly.

"And I am the only person who knows how to control Roman Reigns," said Seth, "I am the only one who knows how to harness that anger. I am the only one who knows how to manipulate Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose."

"Here we go," Roman sighed.

Carly glanced over at Dean. He was absently drumming his fingers against his collarbone. Not good. That was his tell when he was trying to suppress something. Carly linked her arm through his. The sudden contact startled him momentarily, but he gave her a quick smile before returning his gaze to the monitor. Carly noticed, with some relief, that his hands were still now.

"Oh, Dean Ambrose," Seth chuckled, "Without me controlling Dean Ambrose, he's a babbling buffoon."

"Nice alliteration," Roman said wryly.

"He went to college, y'know," said Dean.

Good. Sarcasm was good. That meant Dean wasn't taking Seth's words to heart. At least, it meant he was _trying _not to.

"He's a lunatic," said Seth, "He's out of his mind. He's bound to end up in a straightjacket or in some insane asylum somewhere. I am the only one who can control Roman and Dean. I controlled them when, for two years, I was the leader of the greatest group in the history of the WWE, the Shield. And two weeks ago, I showed why I am still in control."

Carly turned away from the monitor as they replayed the footage of Seth's betrayal. She still didn't like watching it. And from the crowd's reaction, neither did they.

"That's my cue," she said, "See you on the other side."

Carly retrieved a microphone and got into position backstage just as the recap ended. Seth was laughing again, and it was time to wipe the smile off that face.

"You know, I never get tired of seeing that," said Seth.

Carly gave the signal, and her music cut off any further gloating. She stepped onto the stage, pausing at the top of the ramp. But Seth raised his microphone before she got a chance to speak.

"Carly," he said, somehow managing to layer that one word with impressive amounts condescension and disdain, "I was just about to get to you."

"I thought as much," said Carly, "Which is why I came out here. I wanted to see if you were capable of slandering me to my face."

"_Slander_," Seth repeated, "What an accusation. I would never speak anything but the truth of an old friend like you."

"Oh, this I am _dying _to hear," Carly said drily, "Fire away."

"I created the Shield, and I created you, too," said Seth, "Without me, you would've stayed some pencil-pusher doing Brad Maddox's paperwork. You never would've been associated with the greatest faction in WWE history. I taught you everything you know."

Carly raised her eyebrows and started slowly down the ramp. Ah, the time-honored strategy of weaving in a bit of truth to strengthen the lie. Seth wasn't wrong in saying that he was the reason she broke away from the Authority in the first place. But the rest of it? Be serious.

"That's quite a claim," said Carly, "Do you really think that if you tell a lie often enough, you'll somehow make it true?"

"Your capacity for blind _heroics _is only surpassed by your capacity for denial," said Seth.

"I had another reason for coming out here," said Carly, stopping at ringside, "I know you, Seth. From the moment I stepped onto that stage, you've been analyzing the situation. Now tell me, in your great strategic opinion, how much of a threat am I right now?"

"A threat?" Seth laughed, "Oh, that is adorable. The likelihood that I'll be struck by lightning before finishing this sentence is a more realistic threat then you are."

"Well then," said Carly, "May I approach, O Seth, chiefest and greatest of calamities?"

She bowed mockingly and smirked at him. Seth exhaled heavily. His lips twitched as though he was about to sneer, but settled instead into a faint smile.

"I'm not afraid of you, Carly," he said.

Carly paused for a moment, her gaze locked with his. He hadn't exactly said no. Well, close enough was good enough in this situation. She climbed the steps and stepped through the ropes. Seth turned away slightly, taking a few casual steps further from her. Interesting. He was making a show of looking unconcerned, but Carly knew better. He was wary of her.

"You know," said Carly, tilting her head at him, "I'm not sure about the cut of that suit. Are you sure the slim fit is the best option for your build?"

"I don't have time to play games with you," Seth said shortly.

"That's fine," said Carly, "I don't want to play. I just want to tell you a story. Do you mind if I sit down?"

Seth stared at her blankly for a second before answering.

"By all means," he said, "Go ahead."

"Thank you," said Carly, "You can sit down, too, if you like."

"I'm good, thanks," Seth said flatly.

Carly shrugged and climbed up the ropes, perching on the top turnbuckle. It was such a blatantly calculated move, the significance of it could hardly be lost on someone like Seth. He was a high-flyer. The top rope was his territory, and she was deliberately placing herself there. Also, placing herself above Seth would force him to look up to speak to her. Altitude equaled authority, after all. However, Seth was aware of how limited her move-set was. There was legitimately no advantage she had on the top rope when it came to attacking. In fact, she was actually more vulnerable up there. Carly was putting herself in a position of power without making herself a threat. Seth would recognize that. She almost thought she saw a flicker of curiosity cross his face before it was quickly smoothed blank again.

"Once upon a – oh, I should probably mention," she said, "This is a fairytale."

"Oh God…" Seth muttered, closing his eyes.

"Once upon a time," Carly continued, "There were three knights. And these three knights, like most young men in old stories, went out into the world to seek their fortune. They were very different from each other – in looks, in skills, and in personality – but they grew to love each other like brothers. When they stood together, they could bring an empire to its knees. It became the quest of these knights to bring down the evil king they had once served. They fought long, and they fought valiantly, and they achieved victories the likes of which no one had ever seen. And slowly, the evil king's empire began to crumble. It appeared that the knights were nearing their ultimate victory. Then, disaster struck. One of the men may have looked like a knight and acted the part to perfection, but he was no knight. He was monster, heartless and empty inside, who fed himself on the love and trust the other knights gave him. One day, this monster betrayed his brothers and left them for dead."

"How very nice-" Seth started to say.

"I wasn't finished," Carly cut him off, "The evil king thought he had won. He had another monster to do his bidding, and he was convinced that the two remaining knights were powerless without him. But they were wrong. The-"

"What," Seth said through gritted teeth, "Are you blathering about?"

He had turned to face Carly directly, glaring up at her. Carly sighed wistfully.

"If you have to ask," she said, "There's really no point in explaining it to you. And really, I was just making sure they had enough time to get behind you."

Seth blinked. His face went blank in confusion for a split second. Carly only caught a glimpse of his horrified expression as he whirled around. While she was holding Seth's attention, Dean and Roman had slipped through the audience unnoticed, and now they were charging right at him.

Carly quickly slipped out of the ring to avoid the ensuing brawl. She watched as the Shield got in a good offensive before the officials came running out to break up the fight. They'd sprung they trap perfectly. As much as Carly was enjoying the moment, the victory wasn't quite satisfying to her. These tricks only worked once, after all. She'd have to be thinking up new ones constantly, not to mention trying to find some way to get Dean and Roman into those ladder matches. She was starting to regret promising to make that happen. It was turning out to be much more easily said than done, and Carly had the sinking feeling that she was going to end up disappointing them both.

xXx

It had almost become tradition now: when in doubt, find a stick. The members of the Authority's goon squad were not friends, so when Carly saw them flocking up during the Smackdown broadcast, she knew it meant trouble. Dean had already had his match tonight. Roman's was still to come, after the current match between Randy Orton and Chris Jericho. Carly was willing to bet anything that the Authority had an unpleasant surprise planned for Roman.

She hurriedly informed the Shield of the situation before running off to the loading docks. Carly dropped to her knees next to the first storage crate she saw, hastily flipping it open. It wasn't kendo sticks. Not even close. Just dusty, rarely used miscellany. And why on earth was there a straightjacket in there?

Carly froze when she heard someone clear their throat. She looked up to see Seth and Kane standing over her. Oh boy… Not good.

"If you wouldn't mind coming with us, Carly," said Kane.

Carly gulped. Even when Kane was a corporate stooge instead of a pyromaniac demon, he was still more than sufficiently intimidating. He was one of the few people who could make Roman Reigns look small by comparison. Walking next to him, Carly felt absolutely miniscule.

Carly didn't say a word as Seth and Kane ushered her into the COO's office, where a smugly smiling Triple H was waiting. She groaned inwardly. The Authority was most annoying when they were happy. Kane shut the door and stood in front of it. Alright, so no escape route. Apparently she'd done something to merit their full attention.

"Well, looks like you were right, Seth," said Triple H.

"I know her better than she knows herself," Seth grinned, "At the first sign of trouble, she'll run off and try to be a hero. She's so predictable."

So that's why the goon squad was gathering so conspicuously. This was a trap. And it'd been Seth's idea, too. The last thing Carly needed was to hear that creep gloating. She glanced pointedly at Triple H.

"Look, torture me if you're going to," she said flatly, "But making me listen to _him _talk has to be in violation of the Geneva Convention."

"Cute," said Triple H, "But that's not why you're here."

"Oh?" said Carly.

She had a feeling she knew exactly what this was about. However, she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of bringing it up on her own.

"I have a very simple question for you," said Triple H, slowly stepping closer to her, "And I would very much appreciate a straight answer. What are you up to?"

Not good enough. Time for some deliberate misunderstanding.

"Really? That's your big question?" said Carly, "You know exactly what I'm up to. As the Shield's manager, it's my job to further their careers by ensuring them title opportunities. Which, if you weren't quite so biased, you'd have to admit they've more than earned. And considering how popular they are with the fans, there's really no reason for you not to grant them opportunities – _fair _opportunities – to qualify for those ladder matches. But you haven't-"

"Enough!" Triple H interrupted Carly's rambling, "I know you like to think that I'm some greedy, corrupt corporate monster, but I'm not. And I'm not here to listen to your sales pitch. The fact is that there have been some strange things going on lately."

There it was. Starting the week after Seth's betrayal, some subtle yet distinctly suspicious things had been happening. For some reason, there'd been a lot of technical difficulties plaguing the Authority and their allies: microphones wouldn't seem to work on the first try, the sound quality would be shoddy, music and pyro was delayed a few seconds so things seemed out of sync. In interviews, much of the roster had been inexplicably finding opportunities to use the phrase "believe that." And perhaps the most blatant example occurred earlier that night, when Naomi, Natalya, and Emma defeated Paige, Alicia Fox, and Eva Marie in a six-man tag-team match. For a few seconds, the three victorious women held out their fists together over the fallen Paige in a clear homage to the Shield.

"I had nothing to do with any of that," said Carly, shaking her head.

It was true, actually. None of these things had happened on her orders. She hadn't been told about them at all. The revolution may have started with her and the Shield, but it was growing beyond her influence.

"Now, why don't I believe you?" said Triple H.

"Deep-seated trust issues?" Carly answered innocently.

Triple H chuckled unamusedly and folded his arms. Seth moved to stand beside him, so they were both staring down at Carly. She got that unfortunately familiar feeling of being a mouse surrounded by cats.

"I've had some interesting conversations about you with Seth here," said Triple H, "And he seems to think that there's nothing I could offer you that would motivate your cooperation."

"He'd be correct, for once in his miserable existence," said Carly.

"That's why he came up with a better idea," said Triple H.

He looked over at Seth with the beaming smile of a proud father. It was incredibly nauseating.

"You're a woman of honor, more or less," said Seth, "I know you wouldn't deliberately do anything that would put your friends in harm's way."

Not good. Carly didn't like where this was headed, but she kept silent.

"No," Seth went on, a thin smile on his lips, "You wouldn't like it if anything were to happen to, say, Roman Reigns. That'd be a terrible way to repay that hair-triggered halfwit who never hesitates to play hero on your account, wouldn't it, Carly?"

It was getting very difficult to keep her composure. If they did anything to hurt Roman, Carly would make them suffer. Seth knew that.

"But maybe that's not enough," said Seth, "We both know that Roman has the tendency to Superman his way out of danger. So maybe you'd be a little more cooperative if the one in the crosshairs was Dean Ambrose."

Carly knew that's where this conversation was headed. Still, the compounded idea of first Roman and then Dean being in danger was making her nervous. In spite of herself, Carly's gaze flicked away from Seth's face for the briefest second. He noticed. Of course he did. Very little escaped that wretch's observation. Carly cursed inwardly as Seth's Cheshire-cat smile grew.

"Looks like I struck a nerve," said Seth, "Just think about it, Carly. You can't deny that I know exactly what makes Dean Ambrose tick. And with the Authority's resources at my disposal, it would be the easiest thing in the world to break him."

Carly's tensed and shallow breathing was making her lightheaded. She had given up all pretence at the point. She glared at Seth with unmasked hatred, her hands shaking. And he just kept smiling.

"So easy," he repeated, "It wouldn't take much to push him over the edge. That damaged, unstable, soon to be committed, _pathetic_-"

Seth caught Carly's wrist as she tried to slap him across the face. For a moment they stood there, staring into each other's eyes, barely blinking. Seth was just toying with her. Carly knew that. For all the disgust in his voice, the look in his eyes was still utterly empty. Carly could see now that his heart wasn't in it. He didn't have a heart to begin with.

"Don't ever touch me," Carly said through gritted teeth.

She wrenched her hand away from Seth's the instant his grasp loosened. Triple H was watching them both, clearly pleased with how well Seth's strategy seemed to be working. Carly had had enough. It was time to bring this little charade to a close.

"It's a shame, really," she said, focusing her gaze on Seth, "We had a good thing going on. We were kinda like the A-Team, and you were our Hannibal Smith. No matter how crazy they were, your plans always came together. But you of all people should remember, I was Face. I was the one you called on when you needed somebody to run a scam. And I was good at it. So let me ask you all just one thing: if the three of you are here interrogating me, then who's keeping an eye on Randy Orton?"

By the time Carly finished speaking, the entire atmosphere of the room had shifted. Her tone was bright and nonchalant, and the Authority could only stare, blank and dumfounded, unable to process that they'd been had. Carly turned to her former friend with a sly, condescending smile.

"Oh, Seth…" she said, "Are you ever _not _going to fall for that?"

"Go. Go!" Triple H ordered.

Kane and Seth scrambled to obey. Carly couldn't help but laugh as they bolted towards the ring. Seth knew that Carly instinctively ran for her preferred equalizer at the first sign of danger. But Carly knew that Seth knew, and so she'd one-upped him. It was easy enough to let herself get captured, and to use that as a diversion, buying Dean and Roman time to demolish Randy Orton after his match. Triple H pressed his hand against his mouth, barely suppressing his fury. Carly grinned. With him looking all rage-red like that, she couldn't resist one final dig.

"Well," she said, "I guess you could say that I… played the Game?"

If looks could kill, Carly would've been struck dead on the spot.

"Get out of my office," Triple H growled, "Get out!"

Carly made a hasty retreat before Triple H could change his mind.

Tonight brought more singles matches for Dean and Roman, and still no hint of loophole on those ladder matches. The Authority wasn't winning. Carly had to keep telling herself that. But things weren't nearly as cut-and-dried as they had been before. Maybe that was because Seth had been in charge of strategy before.

It needled Carly, just how little she was able to accomplish so far. Dean and Roman inexplicably continued to have faith in her. Carly wasn't so sure. Doubt, more than the usual amount, was growing in her mind. Maybe Seth was right. Maybe she wasn't capable of doing this on her own. Maybe he'd just been letting her think that she was helping out as a strategist, and really everything had been his doing.

Carly couldn't blame Dean for having such a hard time shrugging off Seth's barbs and ridicule. It was easy to see that Seth was lying about him and Roman. It was getting harder to convince herself that Seth was lying about her, too.

xXx

"So close," said Dean, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"You got to knock him around a little bit, at least," said Carly.

"Yeah, before he lit out of there like the freakin' roadrunner," Dean grumbled, "How did he get to be so fast?"

"All cowards are quick," Roman shrugged.

They'd ambushed Seth after his match against Kofi Kingston (which Seth had won, unfortunately). Seth made an escape before they were able to do much damage, more's the pity. Still, they couldn't afford to get into too much of a scuffle tonight. Roman still had a match against Kane coming up. Carly and Dean had been banned from ringside, of course, so Roman soon left on his own to get into position.

"How goes the scheming?" asked Dean.

"Not as well as I'd like," Carly answered hesitantly.

The truth was that it still wasn't going at all. The Authority _really _did not want the Shield anywhere near those ladder matches. All Carly's petitions for qualifying matches had been denied or ignored outright. Also, she got the feeling that maybe the fact that they'd been making nuisances of themselves may not be helping.

"S'alright," said Dean, "We'll make it happen somehow. If all else fails, we could just show up at that pay-per-view, grab the belts and the briefcase and run."

"That's one option," Carly laughed.

It seemed that Dean and Roman were adapting to this new mission far more quickly than Carly was. But that was good. As long as their resilience held up, there was hope.

Suddenly, Dean's head snapped up, and his expression turned grim. He jerked his chin in the direction of the hallway behind Carly.

"Trouble," he said.

No kidding, trouble. A contingent of the Authority's goons were marching down the hall towards them.

"Carly, get out of here," said Dean, not taking his eyes off the advancing horde.

"Uh… not really an option," said Carly.

Dean glanced back to see what she was looking at. Blocking them in from the other side were Carly's old friends, the goon squad's female division. Dean hummed angrily. In the face of a fight, he was, of course, having trouble not just rushing into the fray. But he held his ground and moved into a defensive posture, sticking close to Carly.

This was bad. Carly didn't like it when the Authority got the jump on her, especially when it involved taking a beating.

"Try and fight our way out?" she asked quietly.

"Might as well," Dean shrugged.

Needing no second bidding to be on the offensive, Dean flung himself at the attackers. Carly charged the women, making a point to catch Paige with a kick to the ribs. The brawl was a short one. For some reason, it looked like the goon squad had orders to detain Dean and Carly, not beat them up. Carly, much to her chagrin, was captured easily. The men had a little more trouble with Dean. He was fighting like a demon, and since they were unable to pin him down, they did the next best thing and lifted him bodily, carrying him along.

Carly struggled against Alicia Fox's hammerlock as much as she could. She knew there really wasn't any way she was getting out of it. It was a matter of principle at this point. She and Dean were dragged backstage, but they stopped just behind the curtain. Carly's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. What was going on? What was the Authority planning on doing with them? And what was going to happen to Roman?

She couldn't see Dean from where she was standing, but she could hear him struggling still. She hadn't had the breath or presence of mind to speak since the scuffle had started. But she was worried now, and there was no way in hell she was going to let these goons know that.

"Hanging in there, Dean?" she called.

"Oh, it's great," he replied, "It's like having a hammock made of jackasses."

Dean's laugh abruptly turned into a groan, and Carly surmised that at least one of the goons decided not to let him get away with the insult. Alicia Fox wrenched Carly's arm further, cutting off any further remarks.

"No talking," Paige ordered.

So much for bravado. At least now she knew Dean was okay, for the time being. Carly turned her attention to the monitor. Kane was already waiting in the ring. Roman was making his entrance when out of nowhere, Seth and Randy Orton appeared in the crowd, flanking him on either side. Carly's stomach dropped. This was bad. This was extraordinarily bad.

Roman was caught completely off-guard. He made a valiant effort to fight back, but it was too late. They had the drop on him. Seth and Orton kept up their assault and drove Roman over the barricade. They threw him into the ring where Kane was waiting to deliver a chokeslam.

Carly tried to pull herself free, but to no avail. This was sickening to watch. Worst of all was the fact that there was nothing they could do to help him. But Carly was still confused. If all the Authority wanted was a clear shot at beating the hell out of Roman, why would they bring Dean and Carly backstage like this? What were they waiting for?

Seth and Orton hauled Roman to his feet. They threw him against the ropes, and Kane kicked him in the stomach, driving him to the ground. As Roman fell, Seth and Orton seized his arms and twisted the ropes around them. Roman ended up sitting on the mat, his head slumped forward, with his arms tangled in the ropes, straining his shoulders back and immobilizing him.

"Now," Paige barked.

The goon squad hurried to obey. They quickly dragged Dean and Carly across the stage and down the ramp to ringside. The crowd, already angry about what was happening to Roman, reacted with confusion.

Orton smacked the side of Roman's head, shouting something at him. Roman looked up slowly. He pulled against the ropes, tried to stand. An expression of outrage formed on his face when he realized he was caught. Roman struggled a second longer, but froze when he noticed the commotion at ringside. He looked at Dean, then at Carly, horrified, and Carly finally understood.

Seth had known that Carly couldn't stand to watch her friends being hurt. Seth also knew that the same was true of Roman. They'd taken Dean and Carly unharmed because they were going to force Roman to watch. Kane, Seth, and Orton smiled in cruel delight at how well their trap had worked so far.

"Start with him!" Seth ordered, pointing at Dean.

"No!" Carly shouted.

Damned if she'd go down without a fight. She kicked at Alicia Fox's shins in a desperate bid to loosen her hold. No such luck. Paige just grabbed a handful of Carly's hair and forced her to her knees.

"Now you just wait your turn, Carly," Randy Orton called, laughing.

"You bastards," Roman growled as he struggled desperately to free himself, "Let them go!"

"Don't hurt yourself, Roman," said Seth.

He patronizingly ran a hand over Roman's hair. Roman jerked his head away, snarling at him. Seth just laughed, and gestured for the goons to proceed.

Titus O'Neil pinned Dean's arms back. The others took turns on him, unloading blows on his head and ribs until Dean's resistance began to flag. He slouched forward, O'Neil's hold on his arms the only thing keeping him upright.

Carly was aware of the futility of yelling at them to stop, to let him go. She didn't care. It sounded like Roman didn't either. Carly's throat tightened as she blinked back infuriated tears. She was going to make them pay, somehow.

And then everything went dark.

Some of the audience shrieked at the sudden blackout. Startled, Alicia Fox's grip loosened just enough for Carly to slip free. She scrambled to her feet. Punching someone that might have been Eva Marie, Carly dodged away before the women had a chance to collect themselves.

Sounds of various scuffles could be heard over the continued consternation of the audience. With the intent of getting to Roman, Carly started making her way towards what she thought was that side of the ring when somebody grabbed her. Carly instinctively threw an elbow, feeling a jolt run up through her aching shoulder as it connected with someone's jaw. A familiar voice let out a pained yelp.

"Ow, geez! Carly, it's me."

"Dean?" she whispered.

"Come on," he said.

Dean's hand closed on her arm, and he led her towards the ring. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the dim light. She could just make out the silhouette of Roman, still caught up in the ropes.

"Help Roman," Carly said, "I'll be there in a second."

"Right," said Dean.

Following the lights at the announcers' table, Carly made her way to the timekeeper's area. She pushed someone out of their folding chair (apologizing profusely as she did so), folded it up, and hurried back to slip into the ring.

Kane and Orton and Seth were still there. They were completely oblivious to the confusion around them, being engaged in confusion of their own. They shouted abuse at the crew, demanding that they get the lights back on this instant. Well, that was no way to treat your fellow employees. It was about time these uncouth men learned some manners. Carly raised the chair and swung it in the direction the voices were coming from.

Judging by the pained cursing that followed, Carly had scored a direct hit on Randy Orton. Why not try her luck again? Perhaps she'd end up two for two. Carly swung the chair once more. This time it connected with a much louder clang, and the groans that followed were clearly coming from Kane.

In that instant, the lights came back on. Carly blinked against the sudden brightness. Dean and Roman were standing beside her, leaning heavily against each other. They looked rather beaten up, but not too much the worse for it, thankfully. Kane and Randy Orton were sprawled out on the ground in front of her, and Kane was clutching his head. Carly guessed that Kane had leaned down to help Orton when he'd fallen, so that second strike must've clocked him right in the head. Oops.

The goons outside the ring had completely devolved into chaos. It looked like they'd ended up attacking each other in their desperation to get their hands on Dean and Carly. Heath Slater and Rosa Mendez had taken the worst of it. Jack Swagger apologetically released an irate Paige, who he must've grabbed mistakenly thinking it was Carly. What a mess.

And of course, it seemed that Seth was the only one to escape undamaged. He was down at ringside, where Carly assumed he had fled to at the first hint of chair-shots.

"What are you idiots standing around for?" he shouted at the goons, "Help them!"

The good little lackeys hurried to obey, pulling Kane and Orton from the ring and helping them to the back as the Shield's music began to play. Seth glared up at Carly and the Shield.

"This isn't over!" he yelled, then turned to follow the others in retreat.

Carly dropped the chair. Now that the adrenaline was failing, her shoulder had _really _started to hurt. Dean took hold of the back of Roman's head and pressed a quick kiss to his temple, and Roman grinned at him.

"You guys okay?" asked Carly.

"Much as can be expected," said Roman.

"Eh, I've had worse," said Dean.

But Carly noticed that Roman was being careful not to move his shoulders more than necessary, and she could see some bruises beginning to form on Dean's face. Poor boys. Tonight had been murder on them. Until that convenient blackout, that is. Now that Carly thought about it, that had been weirdly fortuitous for them. Sure, it _could've _been happenstance, but then again…

"Come on," said Carly, "We all need a little patching up after this. Let's get out of here."

Dean and Roman needed no convincing. They headed back to the locker rooms, careful to avoid the Authority and their lackeys as much as possible. While Carly waited in the hall for the Shield to get changed, Kofi Kingston wandered over.

"Hey, Carly," he said, "You and your boys alright?"

"Yeah, thanks," said Carly.

"You know, it's the weirdest thing," Kofi said curiously, "I just happened to be passing by the tech area when that blackout happened. Really lucky for you three that somebody just happened to hit the wrong light cue at just that moment. I mean, yeah, there was a chance it could've ended badly for you, but hey. Nothing else would've given you a chance to turn things around."

There was nothing in Kofi's tone or expression that would arouse suspicion from anyone who overheard, but Carly was clearly able to read his meaning.

"I don't think luck's got anything to do with it," she said, smiling at him, "Guess I must've had a guardian angel on my side tonight."

"Guess you must've," Kofi laughed, "See you around, Carly."

Carly smiled incredulously as she watched him leave. He'd taken a gamble, but it was a smart move. Open rebellion was out of the question at this stage. But Kofi had managed a subtle bit of sabotage that bought them just enough time. Apparently the revolution was getting bolder.

xXx

"Stupid of them to all go out there at once," Roman remarked.

"Yeah, but it works out rather nicely for us," said Carly.

The entire Authority was down in the ring: Triple H, Stephanie, Kane, Randy Orton, Seth, and Paige. They were talking up the upcoming pay-per-view, naturally, and only managing to bore and annoy everyone who was listening. Carly had a theory that sooner or later, "nine ninety-nine" would have the same effect on the WWE Universe that "Niagara Falls" has in a Three Stooges routine.

"I think I can see people falling asleep," said Dean, squinting at the monitor, "Looks like that's our cue. Hit it!"

At Dean's signal, the Shield's music interrupted whatever Stephanie was talking about. Carly and Roman flanked Dean was he walked onto the stage, twirling a microphone between his hands.

"Whoa, hey. It's cool, guys. We come in peace," Dean said in response to the furious glares being shot in their direction, "I've got a question about a situation that the Authority needs to address."

"Dean," Triple H said tersely, "This is neither the time nor the place-"

"No, this'll only take a second. Promise," said Dean, "I was just wondering what you planned on doing about all the… technical difficulties that have been going on lately. Somebody could get hurt if this keeps happening."

Dean spoke earnestly, completely undeterred by the growing ire radiating from the powers-that-be. Out of the corner of her eye, Carly could see that Roman was trying very hard to keep his expression carefully blank. Thankfully, no one was close enough to see the spark in his eyes or the way the corner of his mouth kept twitching.

"Look at the set-up in here," Dean went on, "It's not safe. I mean, for instance, look up."

The Authority glanced at each other, nonplussed.

"We're not going to fall for that, Ambrose," Seth said snidely.

"I'm not kidding," Dean shook his head, "You guys should really, _really _look up. Right now."

"No," said Triple H warningly, "You three should really, _really _get out of here, right now."

"Alright, if you say so," said Dean.

Dean threw up a hand in defeat. Right on cue, the heavens opened, and gallons of green slime rained down on the entire Authority.

xXx

"_Oh my God! The Authority's been slimed! We're seeing shades of D-Generation X getting turned on Triple H tonight."_

"_Why are you laughing? This isn't funny!"_

"_Come on, John, you have to admit it's a _little _funny."_

"_No I don't. This is disgraceful. It's childish. The entire leadership of this company has been completely humiliated!"_

"_I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's probably exactly what the Shield was going for."_

xXx

"You can't say I didn't warn you," Dean called out.

The audience screamed in delight. Roman was laughing so hard that Carly was starting to worry that he might pass out. Down in the ring, the dignity of the Authority had been completely drenched in green slime. Kane and Randy Orton tried to help Stephanie to her feet, only for them to slip and collapse in a heap of flailing limbs. Paige and Seth were both shrieking with rage. Triple H wiped the goop from his eyes and started shouting something at security.

"Time to run?" said Dean.

"Good thinking," said Carly, "Go, go, go!"

Still laughing uproariously, Carly and the Shield fled the scene. There was a lesson the Authority would've done well to take away from all this: it's always to your advantage to be friends with the crew.

**(Note: Slowly but surely, we begin to make our way through the third act of this thing. Thanks so much to the lovely people who left reviews!)**


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